ADC Alleges Political Intimidation of Traders in South-West as New Zonal Leadership Emerges
The South-West Zonal Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rahman Owokoniran, on Saturday accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using intimidation and economic pressure to force market women and traders in parts of the region to join the party, a claim he made in Ibadan, Oyo State, during his inauguration, citing concerns over democratic integrity and citizens’ livelihoods.
Owokoniran raised the allegation while delivering his acceptance speech shortly after being sworn in alongside other South-West zonal executives of the ADC at the Ibadan Business School, Old Bodija.
He alleged that traders were being compelled to register with the ruling party under threats that directly affected their means of survival.
According to him, market operators who resist such pressure are reportedly confronted with raids, indiscriminate shop closures and disruptions to commercial activities, measures he said were aimed at enforcing compliance.
“Market women and men are reportedly being pressured to register with the ruling party under duress, including threats of raiding their markets and locking their shops indiscriminately, thereby preventing them from selling their goods and earning a living,” Owokoniran said.
He further claimed that the distribution of government palliatives had shifted from a social intervention to a political instrument used to influence the poor and working population.
“Such practices were designed to manipulate loyalty and suppress dissent among vulnerable populations,” he added.
Owokoniran argued that the alleged actions weaken democratic principles, erode public confidence in state institutions and turn political participation into a struggle for survival rather than a matter of informed choice.
“The political manipulation of hunger and hardship to influence loyalty distorts democracy and erodes human dignity.
The ADC would resist such tendencies through issue-based mobilisation and grassroots engagement,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader socioeconomic situation in the South-West, the ADC leader acknowledged the region’s human capital and innovative capacity but expressed concern that inflation, unemployment, food scarcity and insecurity were steadily lowering living standards and pushing more people into poverty.
“As a party, we must respond not with anger but with strategic planning in the interest of the people. Leadership must be about service, accountability and empowerment,” Owokoniran stated.
He pledged that the ADC under his leadership would prioritise strengthening party structures across the South-West, expanding grassroots participation and promoting a people-focused governance agenda aimed at addressing the region’s economic and social challenges.
Also speaking at the event, the party’s Deputy National Chairman, Bamidele Ajadi, cautioned members against placing early emphasis on fielding candidates for elective offices at the expense of internal consolidation.
“We must build the party first before talking about candidates. A strong party structure is what produces strong and credible candidates,” Ajadi said.
Earlier, the Oyo State Chairman of the ADC, Yinka Olona, described the inauguration as a significant milestone in repositioning the party within the South-West, urging members to remain committed to the ADC’s ideals and to work collectively to grow its presence across the region.
The ceremony also included the unveiling of other zonal and national officers, among them the Assistant National Secretary and South-West Zonal Secretary, Bashir Lawal; Deputy National Woman Leader, Yemisi Afolabi; Ex officio member, Olabode Ayorinde; Deputy National Financial Secretary, Rotimi Taylor; Deputy National Coordinator (Diaspora), Daniel Akene; South-West Zonal Woman Leader, Sidikat Ojo; Assistant National Youth Leader, Oluwaseyi Akinde; Director of Communications, Babatunde Oke; and Assistant National Organising Secretary, Sakiru Adekoya.
