Roy Ofori, Global Affairs Editor
The African Democratic Congress in Delta State has adopted Dr. Emmanuel Unuafe, a United Kingdom-based academic at Arden University, as its governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dr. Unuafe emerged through a consensus arrangement at the party’s primary election held in Asaba, a process reportedly monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies. According to The Nation, the motion for his adoption was moved by Mr. Timi Julius, a member of the screening committee and ADC chairman in Warri North Local Government Area, and seconded by the party’s legal adviser.
Following his emergence, the Delta ADC governorship candidate thanked party members for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to restore hope in governance if elected in 2027. He outlined an agenda focused on economic diversification, agriculture, infrastructure, rural and riverine development, youth empowerment, sports development, workers’ welfare, and blocking leakages in government.
Party sources indicate that Dr. Unuafe is now expected to announce his running mate and unveil a broad-based campaign team that will reflect the political, ethnic, youth, women, diaspora, and grassroots balance required to position ADC as a serious alternative in Delta State.
The Delta ADC leadership also used the primary to send a message of unity and institutional clarity. The party’s state chairman, Mr. Austin Okolie, commended members for their peaceful conduct, while the chairman of the ADC Screening Electoral Committee, Jerry Ojale, described Unuafe as the most qualified aspirant to fly the party’s flag. Ojale also dismissed claims of factionalisation in the Delta chapter, insisting that the party has one recognised leadership under Austin Okolie.
In a strategic move ahead of 2027, Dr. Unuafe’s camp is also expected to maintain an open-door posture toward the national leadership of the party. The Delta ADC governorship project, according to emerging signals, will be willing to work with whoever emerges as the ADC presidential flag bearer, provided the national ticket advances the broader opposition mission of rescuing Nigeria, strengthening democratic institutions, and giving Nigerians a credible alternative.
For Delta ADC, the adoption of Dr. Unuafe marks the beginning of a new political phase: from internal selection to statewide mobilisation. With the governorship candidate now in place, attention will shift to the choice of running mate, the composition of the campaign council, and the party’s ability to convert consensus into a formidable grassroots movement across the three senatorial districts of Delta State.
