Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop harassing opposition members if it genuinely believes in its own popularity and strength ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aregbesola made the statement during the commissioning of the ADC's new state secretariat in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Saturday. He accused the APC of political intolerance and a deep-seated fear of losing its grip on power.

"If APC is confident of its strength and popularity, it will not be so jittery, hunting and hounding opposition members all over the place," he said.

He further alleged: "They are harassing and intimidating our members and leaders in Lagos, Kebbi, Kaduna, and across Nigeria. A party that is sure of itself would have been calm, but the reverse is the case. This tells you they themselves know they are not popular."

He said Nigerians were tired of the failures of the APC and were ready to embrace the ADC as the credible alternative.

"The party that will harvest the unpopularity, disenchantment, and hatred of the Nigerian people for the APC is the ADC. By the grace of God, we will take over the mantle of leadership in Nigeria and in most of the states because the governors going to APC are hated by their people. It's a good riddance to bad rubbish," he added.

Aregbesola said the party was positioned to rescue Nigeria from leadership failure and policy inconsistency that had defined the present administration.

He insisted that the ADC's ideology was rooted in accountability, people-oriented governance, and inclusiveness.

In his remarks, former Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, said the unveiling of the party's secretariat marked a new political beginning for Kwara and Nigeria.

"The significance of this unveiling is that a new dawn has begun in Kwara, and this is the beginning of a new direction in our political experience," Ahmed said.

The former governor further noted that "Kwara is going to be different because we are poised to entrench a new party that will drive the collective interest of Kwarans in line with their aspirations.

He assured that ADC has come to stay and ready to demonstrate itself as the main party in Kwara.

He added that the ADC's philosophy was anchored on fairness, justice, and progress, promising that the party would offer a viable alternative to the people in 2027.

On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party's growing acceptance within a short time was evidence that Nigerians were ready for change.

"Our chances are very bright in Kwara and across Nigeria. Would you believe this is a party that was unveiled barely three months ago? This shows that the people have embraced our message," Abdullahi said.

He added that the real question before Nigerians was no longer whether they wanted the APC to continue in power but whether the ADC could convince them it represented a genuine alternative.

"The issue is settled that Nigerians do not want this APC to continue. Now, what we must do is convince them that we are the alternative, and that is exactly what we are going to do.

"We are not bothered by governors decamping to the ruling party because they do not have the mandate of their people. This is now an issue between Nigerians and the APC," he said.

Abdullahi expressed optimism that the ADC would continue to gain ground as the only credible alternative capable of addressing Nigeria's current challenges, adding that the party's expansion across states was a sign of its growing strength.

The unveiling of the ADC secretariat attracted political stakeholders, youth groups, and party supporters who described the event as a symbol of renewal and the beginning of a fresh political movement in Kwara and Nigeria.