The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of owing its workers more than 12 months’ salaries, questioning the party’s ability to manage the country if elected in 2027.
The council made the allegation in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, who criticised the ADC’s National Working Committee, led by Senator David Mark as chairman and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola as secretary.
Alake described the alleged non-payment of workers’ salaries as unacceptable, arguing that a party seeking to govern Nigeria should demonstrate its ability to meet its obligations to employees.
“We find it unconscionable that a political party that has made many grandiose promises to hoodwink Nigerians owes its workers for more than 12 months,” the statement read.
“Owing staff who come to work every day and who rely on the salaries for their daily sustenance is wicked and reprehensible.”
The APC campaign council also criticised the ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, alleging that workers in his businesses, including Gotel Communication, had experienced delayed salary payments and staged protests over unpaid wages and other benefits.
“While he regularly junkets to the UAE, staff at his Gotel Communication and other businesses also went months without pay and staged protests over unpaid salaries and other benefits,” the statement alleged.
The council also questioned Aregbesola’s record on workers’ salaries and pension payments during his eight-year tenure as governor of Osun State.
According to the APC council, the former governor’s administration introduced partial salary payments, including quarter and half salaries, because it could not pay workers their full entitlements.
It further alleged that some pensioners were left without their benefits for more than four years, claiming that the situation caused hardship for retirees.
“The record of the ADC General Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, on paying workers’ salaries and pensioners in Osun State, where he was a governor for 8 years, was abysmal,” the statement said.
The council linked the allegations against the ADC to what it described as the records of some of the party’s leading figures.
“We are therefore not surprised that ADC, harbouring birds of the same feather, cannot pay its workers’ salaries,” it added.
The APC campaign council urged Nigerians, particularly workers, to reject the ADC and its candidates in the 2027 general elections.
“We are sounding a warning to Nigerians and working people now: reject ADC. Reject Atiku Abubakar and reject all ADC candidates in the next general elections,” the statement said.
The council further accused the ADC leadership of prioritising personal interests over workers’ welfare, arguing that a party unable to meet its obligations to employees should not be entrusted with governing the country.