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Surviving members and leading figures of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) have reunited in Abuja in an epochal homecoming that rekindled memories of the party’s formative years and opened a fresh conversation on the direction of Nigeria’s democracy.
The reunion, hosted by former Bayelsa State Governor and National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, brought together former members of the AD’s National Executive Committee and National Working Committee, founding members, intellectuals and prominent democrats drawn from across the country.
Held under the theme, “Reclaiming Our Moral Mandate: A National Democratic Conversation for a Reborn Polity,” the gathering was described by participants as more than a reunion, but the beginning of a process through which veterans of the democratic struggle could reconnect, reflect on Nigeria’s political journey and contribute their experience to the country’s democratic future.
Among those present was Professor Udenta O. Udenta, the founding National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy, who described the participants as the “old guards” of the party, many of whom were directly involved in its establishment and early development.
Udenta said the gathering was not about the defunct status of the AD as a political party, but about the continued relevance and living presence of its founding members and the values for which the party stood.
“The AD is a defunct party but I’m not defunct. Remember that Dr. Manzo Abubakar is not defunct. We are alive and well,” Udenta said, stressing that many of the party’s surviving stalwarts remained committed to the ideals that shaped the political organisation.
He described the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a reincarnation of the Alliance for Democracy of about three decades ago, but insisted that the reunion itself was primarily about the AD and the history of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, rather than partisan alignment.
“This is a union of old Alliance for Democracy stalwarts,” he said. “We are here to say this democratic conversation, this dialogue of the now, can never be complete without us. And today is just a beginning. It’s not an event, it’s a process.” 
Udenta recalled the contributions of several founding figures of the party who are no longer alive, including Dr. Arthur Nwankwo, O.B. Lulu-Briggs, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Bassey Ekpo Bassey, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Chief Bola Ige and Yusuf, whom he identified as the founding Chairman of the AD.
He said the reunion provided an opportunity to honour the memory of those leaders and other colleagues whose sacrifices contributed to the restoration and consolidation of democratic rule in Nigeria.
According to him, the AD represented a distinctive political tradition built around civic engagement, ideology and a commitment to democratic values.
Udenta recalled his role in the registration of the party, saying he personally registered the Alliance for Democracy with the Independent National Electoral Commission and obtained its provisional and original certificates.
He maintained that the stories of the party’s founding, its leaders and the contributions of individual members would eventually have to be properly documented for posterity.
“The fourth republic is our own,” he said, stressing that those who were at the forefront of the AD knew the sacrifices and contributions made during the struggle for the current democratic dispensation.
For Senator Dickson, who hosted the gathering, the reunion was an opportunity to reconnect with old colleagues and revisit the ideological foundations upon which the AD was established.
He recalled that the party was founded at a time when its members had little financial resources but were driven by conviction, ideology and a determination to build a credible political platform.
According to him, the founding members often funded party activities from their personal resources and worked tirelessly to establish the organisation at the grassroots.
He cited concepts such as true federalism and resource control as some of the major ideas associated with the political philosophy of the AD.
“The AD taught us how to be in opposition. The AD taught us resilience,” Dickson said, recalling the mentorship and political experience he and other members gained from the party.
He said the values acquired during his years in the AD had remained influential throughout his political journey.
“What had helped me in my political journey was what I got from the AD, the resilience,” he said, adding that the political generation of that era was driven largely by values.
Dickson also recalled a period when political actors were regarded as patriotic and selfless leaders who placed public interest ahead of personal gain.
Speaking after the meeting, the NDC National Leader said the reunion was organised within a short period but succeeded in bringing together a significant number of surviving AD members.
He acknowledged the role of Dr. Manzo Abubakar and Professor Udenta in facilitating the gathering, while noting that several other former colleagues sent apologies because they could not attend at short notice.
Dickson said the organisers intended to build on the foundation laid by the meeting and convene further gatherings where broader issues concerning Nigeria’s democracy could be discussed.
He explained that the meeting deliberately stopped short of taking broad political decisions, describing it essentially as an opportunity to reconnect old friendships, rebuild networks and reflect on the past, present and future of the country.
“We have not taken any broad decisions along those themes. Today was just an opportunity for us to rekindle old friendships, rebuild old networks and alliances, and we look forward to further deliberations and meetings going forward,” he said.
The gathering also featured a minute of silence in honour of deceased leaders, colleagues and allies who participated in the democratic struggle.
Dickson said the moment was particularly significant because many Nigerians occupying public offices today might not fully appreciate the sacrifices made by those who fought for the democratic system.
“When the history of this period is written, there are some names and some sacrifices that people have forgotten,” he said.
He noted that several of those who contributed to the struggle had since passed away, stressing that the reunion provided an opportunity to remember their contributions and acknowledge the price paid for the democratic system now in place.
Udenta similarly emphasised that the gathering was not convened to announce a coalition between the AD tradition and the NDC.
Asked whether the reunion was a precursor to a political alliance ahead of the 2027 elections, he dismissed the suggestion as premature.
“No, no, no, not yet,” he said, explaining that the immediate objective was to identify surviving members, reconnect old networks and create a platform for continued consultation.
He noted that former AD members were now scattered across different political parties and that their current affiliations were not the focus of the reunion.
“Even in the meeting we had inside, our host made it clear. Today is not about partisan politics. Today is about Alliance for Democracy,” Udenta said.
He nevertheless indicated that continued consultations could eventually produce further decisions, stressing that the process had only just begun.
The reunion also produced strong reflections on the current state of Nigeria’s democracy, with Udenta calling for a more robust national conversation and greater scrutiny of governance.
He argued that Nigeria’s democratic experience should not be measured solely by the absence of military rule, but also by the quality of civic participation, institutional strength, political accountability and the preservation of democratic space.
He urged the media to intensify its scrutiny of government and political institutions, insisting that the role of the press remained essential in holding political leaders accountable.
For the veterans of the Alliance for Democracy, the significance of the Abuja reunion therefore extended beyond the memories of a political party that once shaped Nigeria’s opposition politics.
It represented an attempt to reconnect a generation of political actors with the principles, sacrifices and ideological convictions that defined their entry into public life.
As Udenta put it, the gathering was “not an event, it’s a process” — one that its organisers say will continue through further meetings, consultations and conversations on the direction of Nigeria’s democracy.
Whether the renewed engagement will eventually translate into a broader political platform or influence the country’s 2027 political realignment remains to be seen.
For now, the old guards have returned to the conversation, carrying with them memories of a political era in which, according to the reunion participants, ideology, resilience and public service were placed at the centre of political engagement.
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