The planned unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a unifying platform for Nigeria’s opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections was abruptly stalled on Wednesday after the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja cancelled the booking for the event venue less than 24 hours before its commencement.
The high-level political gathering, billed to take place at the luxury hotel in Asokoro, was set to formally present the ADC as the coalition party to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, organisers were informed Wednesday morning that the event could no longer hold at the venue due to what the hotel described as “an internal compliance matter.”
The notification, shared publicly by media personality and opposition figure Dele Momodu, read:
“We sincerely regret to inform you that due to an internal compliance matter that has just come to our attention, we are unable to proceed with hosting your scheduled event. We are fully aware that the event is less than 24 hours away, and we deeply apologise for the timing and inconvenience this may cause.”
The cancellation has drawn fierce reactions from leading opposition voices, many of whom see it as a politically motivated move to frustrate efforts at forging a united front against the APC.
Dele Momodu, in a statement posted on social media, claimed that pressure from APC-linked operatives forced the hotel to renege on the agreement.
“The intimidation of opposition by a jittery government continues. The cancellation of a fully paid venue for the unveiling of the ADC by the coalition was orchestrated by those afraid of political competition,” he wrote. “But this will not deter the determination of opposition leaders to mount a serious challenge in 2027.”
Also reacting, Salihu Lukman, representing People and Passion Consult Ltd—the group that coordinated the event logistics—condemned the cancellation and accused the hotel of breaching a valid contract.
“This is an outright violation of a legally binding agreement. The Wells Carlton management must honour its contractual obligations. This last-minute sabotage is unacceptable and must not go unchallenged,” Lukman stated.
The now-postponed unveiling was expected to draw several high-profile political actors from across party lines, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark, and former governors Aminu Tambuwal, Sule Lamido, Sam Egwu, and Liyel Imoke.
Others linked to the coalition effort include Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and ex-Minister Rotimi Amaechi, among others.
While a new date and venue are expected to be announced, organisers say the attempt to frustrate the event only underscores the growing fear within the ruling party over the strength of the opposition coalition taking shape.
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