An official unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a unifying political platform adopted by a coalition of opposition groups against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was hindered by the management of the venue where it was scheduled to take place.
The event, which was planned to be held at a popular hotel, was abruptly cancelled by the facility’s management, despite the reservation being fully paid for.
The cancellation occurred just hours before the event, halting what was intended to be a major gathering of opposition figures seeking to prevent President Bola Tinubu from securing re-election in the highly anticipated 2027 general election.
As gathered, the unveiling, scheduled for the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Asokoro, Abuja, was expected to formally introduce the ADC as the central platform for challenging the APC in the upcoming election.
However, the hotel management informed event organizers in the early hours of Wednesday that it would no longer be hosting the programme, citing undisclosed internal compliance issues.
Media personality and politician Dele Momodu shared a screenshot on Instagram of a WhatsApp message reportedly sent by the hotel management, in which they apologized for the cancellation and the inconvenience it might cause to the opposition coalition.
According to the message, “Dear Esteemed Patron, Thank you once again for choosing the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments. 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.
Commenting on the development, Momodu wrote: “The intimidation of the opposition by a jittery government continues, as the booking of a venue for the unveiling of the adopted party, ADC, by the coalition has been unilaterally and suddenly cancelled by the management of the hotel, due to what insiders described as fear of reprisals from APC operatives.
“But this will not dampen the daredevil determination of opposition forces who are poised to hotly challenge the ruling party,” he added.
The cancellation drew sharp criticism from opposition figures, who accused the hotel of breaching a valid contract and acting under political pressure.
In a statement accompanying the screenshot shared by Momodu, Salihu Lukman, signing on behalf of People and Passion Consult Ltd, described the hotel’s action as unprofessional and unacceptable.
“This is unacceptable. Your management has no right to unilaterally sabotage a contract that was validly and legally agreed upon and fully paid for. You must meet the terms of the contract fully by allowing the event to hold with all the agreed-upon services. This is not negotiable,” Lukman stated.
The ADC unveiling was anticipated to unite prominent political figures from various parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, and ex-governors Aminu Tambuwal, Sule Lamido, Liyel Imoke, and Sam Egwu.
Others reportedly involved in the event include Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister Rotimi Amaechi.
