APC PCC Accuses ADC of Owing Staff Salaries for Over One Year, Targets Atiku, Aregbesola

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of failing to pay its staff salaries for more than 12 months, challenging the opposition party to explain the alleged arrears as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The APC campaign council, in a statement issued on Monday, October 26, 2026, alleged that the ADC National Working Committee, led by Senator David Mark as chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as secretary, had neglected the welfare of party employees despite its public promises to Nigerians.

The statement, signed by Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, described the alleged non-payment of salaries as unacceptable and argued that a political party seeking to govern Nigeria should demonstrate accountability in managing its own affairs and taking care of its workforce.

The allegations form part of the intensifying political exchanges between the APC and opposition figures seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu and his party in the 2027 elections.

However, the claims were made by the APC campaign council, and the statement did not provide documentary evidence of the alleged salary arrears or include a response from the ADC leadership.

The controversy raises questions about internal party administration, workers' welfare and the extent to which political organisations should be held accountable for their treatment of employees as they seek public office.

APC Questions ADC's Capacity To Govern

In the statement, the APC campaign council argued that the alleged failure to pay party workers for more than a year contradicted the ADC's promises of better governance and its presentation of itself as an alternative to the current administration.

The council said employees who report for work daily and depend on their salaries to meet basic needs should not be left without their entitlements for such an extended period.

It maintained that the alleged situation exposed what it described as a gap between the ADC's political promises and its internal management practices.

According to the APC, the welfare of party employees should be a basic responsibility of any organisation seeking the mandate to manage the affairs of the country.

The campaign council consequently called on Nigerians to scrutinise the ADC's leadership and administrative record before the next general elections.

It argued that the ability of a political party to manage its finances, meet its obligations and protect the interests of its workforce should form part of the considerations in assessing its preparedness for public office.

The statement, however, did not explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged arrears, the number of affected employees, the amount involved or whether the party had made any payments towards settling the claims.

Neither did it provide details of any formal complaint by the affected workers or identify the specific period covered by the alleged outstanding salaries beyond its assertion that the arrears had exceeded 12 months.

APC Links Atiku To Alleged Salary Defaults

The APC campaign council extended its criticism to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, whom it described as the ADC's leader and presidential candidate.

It alleged that Atiku had a history of failing to pay employees in his business interests, particularly at Gotel Communications and other businesses associated with him.

According to the statement, some employees had allegedly gone for months without salaries and had staged protests over unpaid wages and other benefits.

The APC used the allegations to question Atiku's capacity to offer Nigerians the leadership and economic relief he has promised.

It also accused opposition leaders of pursuing political power for personal interests rather than the welfare of the Nigerian people.

The campaign council's claims against Atiku were not accompanied by supporting records in the statement, and no response from the former vice-president or his representatives was included.

The allegations therefore remain claims made by the APC campaign council and would require independent verification, including employment records, statements from affected workers and any available responses from the businesses concerned.

Nevertheless, the APC has made the treatment of employees a central feature of its latest criticism of the opposition, seeking to connect alleged workplace disputes with the broader question of public accountability.

Aregbesola's Osun Governance Record Revisited

The campaign council also revisited Aregbesola's eight-year tenure as governor of Osun State, accusing his administration of failing to pay workers and pensioners their full entitlements.

According to the APC statement, the administration introduced a system under which civil servants received quarter salaries and, at some periods, half salaries because of the state's financial difficulties.

It further alleged that pensioners were left without adequate payments for more than four years, with serious consequences for elderly citizens who depended on their entitlements for food, medication and other essential needs.

The APC argued that Aregbesola's record in Osun raised questions about his role in the ADC's current leadership, particularly in view of the party's alleged failure to meet its salary obligations.

The statement maintained that the ADC's difficulties in paying its workers were consistent with what it characterised as the record of its leading figures.

However, the campaign council did not provide financial records, pension payment schedules or other documentation to substantiate its allegations in the statement. The claims concerning the former governor's tenure would need to be assessed against the state's financial records and the explanations provided by the relevant authorities.

The dispute also brings an old political controversy in Osun State back into the national conversation, as the parties prepare for another round of electoral competition.

For the ADC, the allegations create a challenge to its public presentation as an alternative political platform. For the APC, the issue offers an opportunity to question the opposition's record on workers' welfare and financial accountability.

Salary Arrears Become A Political Weapon

The APC's statement illustrates how the welfare of employees and the management of organisational finances are becoming subjects of political contestation ahead of the 2027 elections.

By drawing attention to the alleged non-payment of ADC staff, the ruling party's campaign council is seeking to make the opposition's internal administration part of the debate over its readiness to govern.

The argument rests on the principle that political organisations should demonstrate sound financial management and respect for workers' rights before asking voters to entrust them with public resources.

At the same time, allegations of unpaid salaries require evidence and a response from those accused. The existence of salary arrears, the reasons for any delay and the steps taken to resolve the matter are separate questions that should be established rather than assumed from political statements.

The controversy also highlights the importance of distinguishing between the conduct of individual politicians in their private businesses, the record of a former administration and the present financial position of a political party.

Although the APC has linked the three issues in its criticism, each requires its own evidence and assessment.

The treatment of workers in private businesses, for example, does not automatically establish how a politician would manage public finances. Similarly, a state's historical financial difficulties do not, without further evidence, establish the causes of alleged salary arrears within a political party years later.

Nevertheless, political parties seeking public office can expect questions about how they manage their finances, honour their commitments and treat the people who work for them.

APC Calls For Rejection Of ADC Candidates

Concluding its statement, the APC Presidential Campaign Council called on Nigerians and workers across the country to reject the ADC, Atiku and all candidates contesting elections under the party in 2027.

It argued that a political organisation unable to meet its obligations to its employees should not be entrusted with the responsibility of managing the country's affairs.

The council also accused the ADC leadership of harbouring personal ambitions and opposing Tinubu for political reasons, allegations that reflect the APC's position in the emerging electoral contest.

The statement did not outline specific policy differences between the APC and ADC on employment, workers' welfare, public-sector salaries or economic management. Instead, it focused on the opposition party's alleged internal salary arrears and the past records of some of its prominent figures.

The ADC leadership's response will be important in establishing whether the alleged arrears exist, what circumstances may have contributed to them and whether the party has a plan to settle any outstanding obligations.

As political parties position themselves for the 2027 elections, the dispute places workers' welfare and financial accountability at the centre of the debate. It also presents voters with an issue that can be examined through evidence: whether parties seeking national leadership demonstrate transparency and responsibility in managing their own organisations.

For now, the allegations against the ADC, Atiku and Aregbesola remain those of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. Their full implications will depend on the evidence available, the response of the individuals and party concerned, and independent scrutiny of the relevant financial and administrative records.