The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has unveiled its plan to “redesign governance” in Nigeria, pledging to break away from the entrenched political practices of godfatherism, budget padding, and patronage politics.
In a statement titled “No Godfathers, No Budget Padding: How ADC Plans to Redesign Governance,” the party announced a bold reform agenda centered on transparency, community impact, and citizen participation.
The statement was posted Friday via ADC Vanguard, the party’s coalition mobilisation wing on X (formerly Twitter).
The ADC condemned budget padding, the inflation or manipulation of budget figures, as a major drain on national development. Civic groups have previously criticized the National Assembly for allegedly inserting over ₦10.96 trillion in additional projects between 2021 and 2025.
The party said it would ensure that under an ADC-led administration, at least 70% of all budgeted projects must directly benefit local communities, not vanish through bureaucracy or inflated contracts.
“Nigerian politics has for too long revolved around personalities rather than principles. Power has been used for patronage instead of progress,” the party stated.
The ADC emphasized that governance must be people-centered, stating:
“Every policy, every project, and every kobo spent must be judged by its impact on citizens, not how much it benefits the powerful.”
It promised to make governance measurable, transparent, and accountable, proposing a blockchain-backed digital ledger to track public spending in real time.
“With this system, Nigerians will be able to trace every naira from federal ministries to grassroots projects.”
Recognizing Nigerian youth as the country’s greatest asset, the ADC pledged to actively involve young people in governance.
It proposed empowering youth not just with jobs but also with the tools to monitor and audit government spending.
“Young Nigerians won’t just work for government, they’ll help hold it accountable,” the party said.
Plans include public dashboards, community data verification, and citizen monitoring platforms to ensure open governance.
The ADC said it would do away with secrecy and selective empowerment that have long characterized Nigerian governance.
“Ministries and agencies will function like value-driven enterprises, focused on measurable outcomes, not political favours,” the statement declared.
It added that government officials, including ministers, would be evaluated quarterly based on performance metrics such as infrastructure delivery, service quality, and social impact, not political loyalty.
“This is governance redesigned where merit replaces mediocrity, competence replaces connections, and service trumps politics.”
The party dismissed the idea of offering vague campaign promises, positioning itself instead as a force for structural change.
“The ADC isn’t joining the old game. We’re here to change the rules entirely,” the party said.
“We believe government should function like a business where the citizens are shareholders, and the dividends are better roads, safer communities, quality education, healthcare, and jobs.”
The ADC said its goal is to build a movement rooted in responsibility, innovation, and service.
“We are not asking Nigerians to dream of change. We are building it, one transparent policy at a time.”
