Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has reacted to the appointment of former Senate President, David Mark, as the national chairman of the opposition coalition’s newly adopted platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
On Tuesday, the opposition coalition formally adopted the ADC as its official political party ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a major development, David Mark was announced as the party’s national chairman, alongside other interim leaders. The coalition said this move is part of its strategy to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement stirred reactions across political circles, including from Shehu Sani, who shared a personal reflection on Mark’s long career in Nigerian politics.
“Someone just told me that ‘Your ex-Senate colleague, David Mark, is the new chairman of the coalition’. I just corrected him that yes, we were colleagues in the 8th Senate; but 42 years ago, David Mark was the Governor of Niger State when I was in science secondary school in the same Niger State. We used to line up in our school uniform to receive him while he fondly called us ‘leaders of tomorrow’. He is a disciplinarian and a good man, but not ‘new’.”
Sani’s comment shows David Mark’s enduring presence in Nigerian leadership, dating back to the early 1980s. His appointment is being viewed as a strategic move by the coalition to rally around an experienced and respected figure ahead of the 2027 polls.
Analysts believe the decision to adopt the ADC and place it under the leadership of someone with David Mark’s profile could help unify fragmented opposition forces and attract credibility to the coalition’s campaign.
As preparations for the next election intensify, attention will now shift to how effectively the new leadership can mobilize support across the country and offer a viable alternative to the APC.
