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  • ADC: Old wine in old cup?

    ADC: Old wine in old cup?

    In the last 24 hours, news about the African Democratic Congress (ADC) occupied the political space. This was due to a coalition group that announced the adoption of the party as its vehicle to contest the 2027 general elections.

    Former Senate President David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, ex-minister of interior were appointed as the party’s interim national chairman and secretary, respectively.

    Bolaji Abdullahi, a former minister of sports, is the protem national publicity secretary of the ADC.

    On Wednesday, the coalition unveiled ADC in Abuja as the platform to seek elective positions and wrest power from the ruling APC in 2027.

    The party’s national executives, led by Ralph Nwosu, resigned for the Mark-led leadership to take over.

    Politicians at the event include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the LP in 2023; Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto; Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation; Solomon Dalung, ex-minister of sports; and Odigie Oyegun, the former national chairman of the APC.

    Others are Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice; Dino Melaye; Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine; Eyinnanya Abaribe; Gabriel Suswan; Ireti Kingibe; Elisha Abbo; Uche Secondus; Tunde Ogbeha; Victor Umeh; Laureata Onochie; Liyel Imoke; Bolaji Abdullahi, among others.

    The development, however, seemed not to have excited young politicians, who decried the arrangement.

    The party’s 2023 presidential election, Dumebi Kachikwu; Minister of aviation and aerospace, Festus Key amp, among others, have described the coalition as recycle of old politicians, who have nothing to offer the country and her citizens.

    Kachikwu on Wednesday, dismissed the development as “a dramedy,” accusing the coalition leaders of entering into an alliance with what he described as the wrong leadership of the ADC.

    He said the move lacked legitimacy and would not stand.

    He vowed to challenge the takeover and appointment of protem chairman and secretary for the party in court.

    Keyamo said the coalition will only strengthen the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    Keyamo, in a post shared via his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, said the movement has effectively weakened the opposition, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party.

    “What happened earlier today with the movement of the so-called ‘coalition’ into the ADC is the greatest factor that has strengthened the APC ahead of the 2027 elections,” he wrote.

    Citing legal provisions, the minister said the defectors had essentially abandoned their former political platforms.

    Read Also: Why ADC coalition can’t mirror APC – Sunday Dare

    While this wasn’t the first time the party would be adopted by coalition forces, politicians have said there’s no future in the coalition and there are tendencies that it will go the way it went in 2018.

    In May 2018, a coalition movement initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its political platform to challenge then-President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections.

    The Obasanjo-led movement — Coalition of Nigeria Movement (CNM) — unveiled ADC as an anti-Buhari political party during a press conference on May 10, 2018.

    The press conference was attended by Obasanjo, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, co-convener of the movement and a former governor of Osun state, and other political stakeholders.

    Obasanjo had proposed the CNM as a non-partisan platform that would “redeem” Nigeria from the “lice of poor performance” of the Buhari-led administration.

    “Let me start by welcoming and commending the emergence of a renewed and reinvigorated African Democratic Congress, ADC, as a political party,” the former president had said.

    “Since the inception of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), many of the sixty-eight registered political parties had contacted and consulted with the movement on coming together and working together.

    “The leadership of the movement, after detailed examination, wide consultation and bearing in mind the orientation, policies and direction of the movement, have agreed to adopt ADC as its platform to work with others for bringing about desirable change in the Nigerian polity and governance.”

    Also, Oyinlola said the decision to move into ADC was “an appreciation of the progressive essence of the party and its untainted existence on the terrain of our nation’s politics”.

    The former governor said Nigerians should expect more from the movement, describing the fusion as “the first in a multi-layered action plan to give back the country to its much-deprived people”.

    However, the fusion of the ADC and the Obasanjo-led movement lasted for just about three months.

    In August 2018, a faction of CNM pulled out of the ADC and announced itself as the New African Democratic Congress (N-ADC).

    Precious Elekima, protem national chairman of the group, made the announcement at a news conference in Abuja.

    Elekima said the group withdrew from ADC because it did not want to be a party in the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

    However, the fusion of the ADC and the Obasanjo-led movement lasted for just about three months.

    In August 2018, a faction of CNM pulled out of the ADC and announced itself as the New African Democratic Congress (N-ADC).

    Precious Elekima, protem national chairman of the group, made the announcement at a news conference in Abuja.

    Elekima said the group withdrew from ADC because it did not want to be a party in the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

    In July 2018, the ADC joined 36 other opposition parties and the Reformed All Progressive Congress (R-APC) and PDP to form an alliance called CUPP.

    The parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to contest the 2019 elections under one platform.

    However, Buhari was re-elected in 2019 elections.

    The party, formed in 2005, was initially named “Alliance for Democratic Change”. But it was renamed the African Democratic Congress by the time the party was registered with the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

  • Kachikwu’s faction to petition INEC, head to court over alleged ADC takeover

    Kachikwu’s faction to petition INEC, head to court over alleged ADC takeover

    The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has announced a three-pronged strategy to challenge what he called a “hostile takeover” of the party’s leadership by a rival faction.

    He noted that despite being subjected to threats and online harassment by unnamed individuals and social media trolls following his stance on the party’s latest internal crisis, he remains undeterred.

    Kachikwu also disclosed that he had rejected overtures from members of the opposition coalition against President Bola Tinubu as far back as last year. 

    According to him, the talks collapsed when the coalition promoters rejected presenting a southern candidate as the coalition’s standard bearer, an arrangement he believes is necessary to complete the South’s turn in the power rotation currently occupied by President Tinubu.

    He added that even if the coalition eventually agrees to present a southern candidate and formally approaches the ADC, the party would still conduct a primary election. 

    This, he stressed, would ensure that all interested party members have a fair opportunity to contest for the ticket alongside the coalition’s preferred aspirant.

    Dumebi spoke at a media parley in Abuja on Thursday, flanked by seven state chairmen from Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, and Jigawa States, as well as the party’s national spokesman, all of whom he said were arbitrarily removed from their positions through a social media announcement by the rival group.

    “These so-called common Nigerians have safeguarded this party for years. Yesterday (Wednesday), they were simply chased out of their offices online. That is not what they signed up for,” he regretted.

    Dumebi said his camp will formally petition the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), explore legal redress through the courts, and rally the support of grassroots party members across Nigeria to resist the undemocratic hijack.

    “All options are on the table. INEC as the regulator, the courts as the last hope of the common man, and the Nigerian people as witnesses,” he said.

    According to Kachikwu, the first step is to demand that INEC clarify who currently occupies the position of party chairman. 

    If a leadership vacuum is confirmed, he said, the ADC State caucus, composed of elected chairmen, will immediately convene a national convention to elect new officers and restore order to the embattled party.

    “We’re asking INEC: Is there a chairman in this party, or is there a vacuum? If there is, then we need to convene a convention immediately to elect new leadership. That’s our pathway to resolving this crisis,” he said 

    Kachikwu emphasized that the chairmen in his camp were elected at the party’s April 2022 convention, with valid mandates running until April 2026. 

    “They were not appointed on WhatsApp or Facebook. They were elected by the people,” he pointed out.

    Speaking further on whether his faction would go to court, Kachikwu confirmed that legal action is under serious consideration. 

    “Yes, the option of court is absolutely on the table. We are exploring all avenues, and we will not rest until this injustice is reversed.”

    He faulted INEC for previously tolerating parallel structures within the party under former interim chairman Ralph O. Nwosu, accusing the electoral body of enabling confusion. 

    “For three years, INEC allowed Nwosu to appoint parallel chairmen. We’re now asking the same INEC to clarify who leads ADC. This time, they must act,” he said.

    Kachikwu faulted the abrupt announcement of a new interim chairman by the rival faction, who allegedly received his ADC membership card during the very event where he was named leader.

    “In a democratic society, how does it make sense that someone is made interim chairman and given his party card at the same event? That’s not a merger. That’s a hijack,” he stressed.

    The former presidential candidate said he had previously engaged with coalition advocates, including former Ministers and senior political figures, but ended all talks when it became clear the arrangement was designed to return Atiku Abubakar to power.

    “I asked a simple question, do you agree that since Tinubu is in his first term, the South should produce the flag bearer in 2027? Their immediate response was, ‘We are taking our power back.’ That was a red flag”.

    He rejected any arrangement that discounts southern participation in future leadership, calling it a return to recycled leadership and ethnic-based politics.

    “Imagine my situation, someone who came fifth in the last presidential race and I’m told that because I’m from the South, I should foreclose my ambition. That was an absolute no-no,” he added.

    Issuing a direct challenge, Kachikwu said, “Let them declare publicly that the next flag bearer will come from the South. If they do, I’ll welcome them through the front door. 

    “But we all know they won’t, because this is a coalition designed for Atiku, and that’s a betrayal of balance and equity.”

    Kachikwu also lamented the rise of what he called “toxic social media politics,” which he said is foreign to the ADC’s values. 

    “APC, PDP, Labour Party, these are parties where all they do is insult and threaten each other online. That’s not who we are. We are decent people.”

    Since rejecting the faction’s legitimacy, Kachikwu said he has been targeted with threats, online abuse, and even preemptive media attacks. 

    Read Also: ADC: Tinubu’s 2027 re-election unshaken by opposition coalition – Group

    He referenced an article reportedly in the works by Peoples Gazette, alleging unresolved U.S. tax issues

    “For those who believe I can be bullied, you are the vocal minority. Politics in Nigeria must move away from threats and blackmail. You cannot cow people on social media.

    “If you believe that threats or blackmail will move me, you’re making a big mistake. Maybe Kachikwu is the last person anyone can cow.”

    He also criticized the media for failing to properly label the opposing camp as a faction, warning that misleading headlines can distort the political narrative.

    “When I became our candidate in 2023, the media focused only on four names, Atiku, Tinubu, Obi, and Kwankwaso. You told Nigerians the rest of us didn’t matter. The media can make or mar a nation,” he said.

    He, however, insisted that despite the turmoil, he remained confident in the resilience of his camp, which includes several elected chairmen who helped take the ADC to fifth place in the 2023 general elections.

    “Our party is worth fighting for. We won’t give up, no matter the threats, no matter the pockets behind them. We’re ready for the long haul.”

  • ADC: Tinubu’s 2027 re-election unshaken by opposition coalition – Group

    ADC: Tinubu’s 2027 re-election unshaken by opposition coalition – Group

    The Grassroots Movement for Tinubu (GMT) in Ondo State has dismissed the recent regrouping of political figures under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as irrelevant, insisting it poses no threat to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

    Speaking on Thursday in Akure, the group’s Director General, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, described the coalition as a gathering of “political orphans” lacking the influence to challenge Tinubu’s growing popularity and political strength.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye maintained that no opposition alliance, regardless of size or structure, can stop President Tinubu from securing a second term, adding that the individuals behind the coalition are merely seeking political relevance.

    He said the President remains firmly on track to continue his administration beyond 2027, with the full support of the grassroots.

    “No amount of political meetings or emergency alliances among failed politicians can stop the will of the people. Tinubu is on course for 2027, and his achievements are the loudest campaign. 

    “These are people who couldn’t win elections in their wards. Some are ex-governors with damaged reputations, and others are habitual defectors. 

    “They are not building a movement – they are chasing shadows. Political ambition, ego battles, and conflicting loyalties will ultimately truncate the dream of the so-called coalition,” he said. 

    While stressing that the coalition is ‘a time bomb waiting to explode’, he warned Nigerians not to be deceived by the romance of the ‘ideologically incompatible’ coalition whose only unifying factor is to oppose President Tinubu im 2027. 

    “Every major figure in that coalition has presidential ambition. None is willing to step down for the other. When the chips are down, their selfish interests will scatter the arrangement.”

    He further said that President Tinubu remains the ‘best-prepared and most result-oriented leader’ Nigeria has seen in recent years.

    Read Also: NTAC DG applauds Tinubu’s strategic strengthening of Caribbean ties

    “His Renewed Hope Agenda is not mere talk—it is working. The masses are feeling the impact. He will win again, not because of propaganda, but because of performance,” Yusuf-Ogunleye added. 

    The group, however, vowed to continue its grassroots mobilisation across the state and beyond, stressing that the Nigerians are solidly behind President for his re-election in 2027.

    Rallying further support for President Tinubu, the group listed achievements that have been recorded under his administration include infrastructure development, especially the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. 

    It also pointed to President Tinubu’s renewed focus in the railway sector, the power sector (where states can now generate and distribute electricity independently), road construction, and rehabilitation. 

    The group added that the economy has also improved, especially with the removal of the fuel subsidy, savings redirected to key sectors, palliatives to states, and aggressive investments in food security.

    “In education, the student loan scheme is revolutionary. In energy, the CNG-powered vehicle initiative will soon cushion transport costs. President Tinubu’s foreign policy is attracting global investors again,” it said. 

  • Klinsmann blasts ADC coalition, Mark’s leadership

    Klinsmann blasts ADC coalition, Mark’s leadership

    Policy analyst and APC chieftain from Anambra State, Pharmacist Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu Klinsmann, has lashed out at the newly unveiled opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the development as “a recycled political joke” engineered by “expired power merchants” bent on derailing the steady progress of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

    Klinsmann specifically questioned the credibility and moral standing of former Senate President David Mark, the newly announced interim chairman of the coalition, accusing him of “presiding over decades of missed opportunities and political betrayal.”

    In a statement in Abuja, Klinsmann said the ADC coalition was neither founded on any democratic conviction nor powered by a unified ideological vision but rather a product of frustration, ego and bitterness by politicians who had outlived their relevance in modern governance. 

    “The announcement of this so-called ‘Third Force’ is nothing but a gathering of political scavengers,” Klinsmann declared. “Their only agenda is power for power’s sake – Nigerians must reject them completely.”

    He expressed disbelief over David Mark’s attempt to re-emerge on the political scene under a new guise, calling it an insult to Nigerians’ collective intelligence. 

    “What new idea is David Mark bringing to the table now that he couldn’t deliver during his 12 years in the Senate, including two terms as Senate President?” Klinsmann asked.

     “He failed to deliver anything meaningful even to Otukpo – the political capital of the Idoma nation – despite holding one of the highest offices in the land. Otukpo still lacks basic road infrastructure. David Mark was always coming to Otukpo in a helicopter. So much for leadership!”

    Klinsmann reminded Nigerians of David Mark’s infamous legacy as Minister of Communications during the military regime where he reportedly said that “telephones were not for the poor.” 

    According to Klinsmann, that statement captured the former Senate President’s disdain for the common man and explained why he should have no business attempting to ‘rescue’ Nigeria. 

    “Anyone who once believed that the poor did not deserve basic communication access has no moral right to pose today as a patriot,” he added.

    The APC stalwart pointed out the current leadership of the ADC is composed largely of political drifters, defectors from PDP, Labour and even APC, many of whom have spent decades running Nigeria’s economy into the ground and now want to ride on anti-Tinubu sentiment to regain power.

     “What we are seeing is not a movement – it’s a mutiny of rejected political relics hoping to exploit temporary discontent for personal advantage,” Klinsmann said.

    He argued that in contrast to the cacophony and confusion within the opposition, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated competence, clarity, and consistency in rebuilding the nation. Citing Tinubu’s economic and infrastructural reforms, Klinsmann stated that “no serious Nigerian would exchange the Renewed Hope Agenda for a backward march into the recycled chaos of the ADC coalition.” 

    He added the Tinubu administration has not only stabilized the naira and implemented critical foreign exchange reforms but has also initiated major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the expansion of railway networks nationwide.

    Addressing security and national unity, Klinsmann highlighted Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to strengthen national security institutions, improve inter-agency coordination, and enhance funding for Nigeria’s armed forces. 

    “Despite the challenges, we are seeing a gradual return of peace in areas previously overrun by bandits and insurgents. These are not theories – they are measurable impacts,” he asserted.

    Klinsmann warned Nigerians to beware of another charade like that of 2018, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo propped up the ADC as an alternative platform to fight the APC, only for the coalition to collapse within months. “History is repeating itself – same recycled faces, same old lies, same inevitable failure,” Klinsmann said. “The only thing new about this coalition is the speed at which Nigerians are rejecting it.”

    He called out Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and other prominent names linked to the emerging coalition, stating that they’ve all had their turn in leadership with nothing to show. 

    “This is a tired group of elites trying to confuse and divide Nigerians. Their political DNA is failure. They are united only by their fear of irrelevance under a working APC-led government,” Klinsmann noted.

    He also lambasted the attempt to mimic APC’s acronym and messaging. “ADC? The similarity in branding is laughable and desperate. Nigerians know who the real APC is – and we have nothing in common with this coalition of confusion.”

    Klinsmann appealed to the youths, especially those in the Southeast and across Nigeria, not to allow themselves to be manipulated by men who have been complicit in decades of underdevelopment. 

    “They annulled your parents’ votes in 1993. Yes! David Mark was an arrowhead of the military cabal that annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election, so far the freest and fairest election in Nigeria. They mismanaged your future from 1999. Now, they want to hijack your voice in 2027? Say no!” he urged.

    As an APC stalwart from Dunukofia, Anambra State, Klinsmann further called on Igbo youth and leaders to resist the temptation of being dragged into another political distraction.

    Read Also: Klinsmann slams el-Rufai over attacks on Tinubu, APC

    “Now is not the time for bitterness. Now is the time to align and contribute meaningfully to a Nigeria that listens, builds, and includes. Tinubu’s government is the most inclusive in recent times – let us be part of the solution, not a tool for retrogression.”

    He urged Nigerians across all regions, age brackets, and professional backgrounds to consolidate around the Renewed Hope Agenda. 

    “We cannot allow a cabal of expired politicians to derail the progress of over 200 million Nigerians. 

    The ADC coalition has no plans, no ideology, no compass. It is a coalition of self-service, not nation-building. President Tinubu is not perfect, but he is purposeful, and Nigeria is finally heading somewhere.

    “The 2027 elections will not be about recycled politicians or tired slogans. It will be about continuity, stability, and delivery. Tinubu represents that hope – and we must defend it,” Klinsmann concluded.

  • ADC, a desperate coalition of failed politicians – Wike

    ADC, a desperate coalition of failed politicians – Wike

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a blistering attack on members of the newly formed opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing the group as lacking credibility or the capacity to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    Speaking during a media chat with journalists on Thursday, Wike described the coalition as a “desperate fallback” for political figures who failed to gain control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “There is no coalition,” he declared. “The opposition has decimated itself. The only party that can, if properly organised, challenge this government is the PDP.”

    He accused former Senate President David Mark of trying to hijack the PDP leadership before defecting to become interim chairman of the ADC-led coalition.

    “David Mark wanted to be chairman of the PDP, and we said no,” Wike said. “When they demanded that the chairmanship return to the North Central, we resisted. Now he has gone to lead a coalition. Let’s see who Nigerians will believe.”

    Wike also criticised Ovation publisher Dele Momodu, calling him politically irrelevant.

    “Dele Momodu was never my friend. He claimed he ran for president—he didn’t get a single vote, and now he’s in this coalition.”

    Known for his blunt rhetoric, Wike accused many coalition members of chronic political opportunism, singling out former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly switching parties to pursue power.

    “Atiku was in the PDP, left for the AC, returned to the PDP, then joined the APC, came back to the PDP, and now he’s with the ADC,” Wike said. “Every time, he jumps ship. They’re just looking for where they can be in charge.”

    Read Also: Wike, Keyamo, Bwala knock coalition, ADC

    He questioned their credibility, arguing that their criticisms of the government were simply bitterness over personal losses.

    “They keep saying Nigerians are angry. Say the truth: you were defeated here. Don’t project your frustration onto the public.”

    Wike challenged coalition figures to measure their records against his achievements in public office.

    “If I leave as minister today, I can confidently say, ‘This is what I accomplished.’ Let any of them show what they’ve done.”

    He also suggested that former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s involvement in the coalition was driven by disappointment over being sidelined.

    “If El-Rufai. If the president hadn’t dumped him, would he be part of any coalition?”

    As the 2027 elections draw nearer, Wike insisted that despite internal challenges, the PDP remains the only organised opposition party capable of defeating the APC, provided it stays united.

    “Politics is about interests,” he concluded. “Those people tried everything to seize the PDP’s leadership, and we stood firm and said no.”

  • Ikimi, Oyegun cannot lead ADC to victory in Edo, say Edo APC Chairman

    Ikimi, Oyegun cannot lead ADC to victory in Edo, say Edo APC Chairman

    Edo state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, has predicted doom for the newly formed political coalition, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in the state.

    He said the duo of Chief Tom Ikimi, Chief Odigie-Oyegun and Senator Oserheimen Osunbor cannot lead the party to victory in any election across Edo State.

    Tenebe, in a statement issued in Benin City, said the trio were no longer relevant in Edo politics.

    The statement said, “The so-called coalition will fail seeing the likes of Tom Ikimi, the very old Chevrolet that sucks a lot of fuel.

    Read Also: Edo 2024: Ighodalo meets Oyegun,Igbinedion, other Edo South political leaders

    “Prof Oserheimen Osunbor was trashed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Odigie-Oyegun, who is completely irrelevant in Edo State politics now.”

    Meanwhile, spokesman for the Edo PDP, Chris Nehikhare, said the party’s structure remained intact ahead of the August 16 by-election into the Ovia Federal Constituency seat and the Edo Central Senatorial seat.

    Nehikhare said the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.

    He said the emergence of the new coalition in the ADC would not affect the party’s chances at the poll.

  • Ex-PDP southwest secretary Owokoniran dumps party, joins ADC

    Ex-PDP southwest secretary Owokoniran dumps party, joins ADC

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for 18 years, Hon. Rahman Owokoniran, has announced his resignation from the party, citing personal reasons and the desire to mitigate potential conflicts.

    In his letter addressed to the PDP Mende/Anthony (Ward C) chairman, Owokoniran expressed his deep appreciation for the unwavering support and commitment he received from the party community throughout his tenure.

    He articulated the difficulty surrounding his decision to depart from the party, effective immediately, to pursue new opportunities that align with his professional aspirations.

    Furthermore, Owokoniran has assumed a pivotal role in facilitating the integration of the PDP Lagos chapter into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition.

    Read Also: A hostile takeover of ADC

    The official announcement of this coalition occurred yesterday in Abuja, with David Mark serving as the interim chairman, succeeding Ralph Okey Nwosu.

    This strategic manoeuvre is considered a noteworthy development within Nigerian politics, particularly regarding implications for the upcoming 2027 elections.

    Hon. Owokoniran possesses extensive experience in the political arena. He previously held a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly and served as the Commissioner for Housing and for Chieftaincy and Boundary Affairs during Bola Tinubu’s administration as Governor of Lagos State.

    He also chaired the committee responsible for the establishment of 20 Local Government Areas and 17 Local Development Councils within Lagos State.

    His decision to join the ADC coalition is perceived as a significant enhancement to the party’s prospects. Owokoniran’s expertise and established track record in politics are anticipated to be invaluable assets to the coalition.

    As the PDP Lagos chapter integrates into the ADC, stakeholders are closely observing the potential ramifications of this development on the political landscape in Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, the ADC coalition has warmly welcomed Owokoniran and the PDP Lagos chapter.

  • Why ADC coalition can’t mirror APC – Sunday Dare

    Why ADC coalition can’t mirror APC – Sunday Dare

    The Presidency has dismissed the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by the opposition coalition saying they cannot repeat the events that clinched victory for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2015 General Elections.

    Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Sunday Dare on Thursday wrote on X that the new coalition, unlike the 2013 APC merger driven by selflessness and national interest, is as an opportunistic alliance led by a politically isolated figure with personal ambition, lacking both a unifying leader and a compelling cause.

    He further described the chief promoter of the coalition as a serial election loser, clutching at what he sees as his last shot at the presidency

    Dare said, “The promoters of the new coalition like to draw parallels with what the APC achieved in 2013. But let’s be clear: this is not 2013—and this is not the APC.

    Read Also: The Futility of the ADC Coalition: Why Obi, Atiku, others cannot match Tinubu

    “In 2013, the merger that birthed the APC was driven by selflessness, national interest, and strategic discipline. The leaders at the time were willing to set aside personal ambitions for the greater good. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite commanding the loyalty of several sitting governors, chose to wait. He bided his time, played the long game, and focused on building a viable political platform. He had never lost an election, and he didn’t have to force his way in.

    “Now contrast that with today’s coalition. The chief promoter is a serial election loser, clutching at what he clearly sees as his last shot at the presidency. Unlike Tinubu, he enters the coalition alone—without the backing of his state governor, his region, or any meaningful political structure. His ambition is personal, not patriotic. So also that of his many co-travelers.

    “In 2013, the APC had a rallying figure in Muhammadu Buhari—a man seen as a symbol of integrity, and a national unifier with cult-like grassroots appeal. Today, no one in this coalition commands that kind of loyalty or trust. Not one of them could genuinely unite a ward, let alone a country. No one comes close to parading the democratic credentials of President Bola Tinubu.

    “Most importantly, the APC coalition emerged to address real grievances: the constitutional denial of power to a region that had been unfairly sidelined and to end the 16 years of ruinous governance by the PDP. It was a coalition grounded in justice and balance.

    “This new coalition? It’s purely opportunistic. The presidency already rests with the region rightfully due. And that’s where it will be till 2031. Heads up for Nigerians about ADC – There is no injustice to redress—only avarice ambition to satisfy,” he wrote.

  • The Futility of the ADC Coalition: Why Obi, Atiku, others cannot match Tinubu

    The Futility of the ADC Coalition: Why Obi, Atiku, others cannot match Tinubu

    • By SF Ojo Emmanuel

    The recent political maneuverings by opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and their cohorts under the guise of a new coalition with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) might offer a fleeting sense of purpose, but it lacks the substance, credibility, and leadership vision required to mount any serious challenge to the administration of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    It is increasingly clear to discerning Nigerians that neither Atiku nor Obi commands the depth of leadership acumen or the strategic political architecture necessary to navigate the complexities of modern governance. Their track records, both in public office and in opposition politics, speak more to personal ambitions and recycled rhetoric than to pragmatic solutions. What they lack is not just grassroots connection but the economic intellect and executive boldness needed to lift a nation—qualities that Asiwaju Tinubu continues to demonstrate with measured consistency.

    Today, President Tinubu is steadily managing the nation’s economy back from the brink of collapse. When he assumed office, Nigeria’s fiscal health was teetering on the edge of disaster, almost comatose due to years of mismanagement and lack of structural reforms. Yet, through deliberate policy choices, institutional reforms, and a dogged commitment to long-term stability, Tinubu is building a resilient economy—one that can withstand shocks, promote investment, and foster real growth.

    Read Also: 210 terrorists surrender to troops in Lake Chad region

    The attempt by the so-called coalition to rebrand old faces with familiar failings cannot overshadow the ongoing efforts of a president who understands not just the politics of power but the socioeconomic mechanics of governance. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains unmatched in capacity, clarity of vision, and national appeal. His leadership is not a product of media hype or online sentiment—it is anchored in decades of proven political engineering, economic foresight, and nationalistic resolve.

    In the end, no coalition of yesterday’s men can stand against the momentum of renewed hope. The future belongs to leaders who build, not those who merely criticise.

    .This article is a personal political opinion from SF Ojo Emmanuel, a Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State

  • A hostile takeover of ADC

    A hostile takeover of ADC

    After one year of bravado, the coalition gang has finally borrowed a platform for the 2027 polls.

    But, according to observers, there is nothing novel, electrifying, captivating or inspiring in the show.

    Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his co-travellers simply defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) without fanfare.

    Former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who dramatically became the ADC protem national secretary, has been on suspension from the All Progressives Congress (APC) since last year.

    His present position marked the final parting of ways with his leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who in the past invested so much trust and confidence in him as a loyal and dependable ally.

    No doubt, there is an implosion in the PDP. But ADC is also a PDP in another garment, made up of malcontents from the crisis-ridden, bastardised and polarised party that once nursed the ambition to rule for 60 years.

    ADC has existed without much notice, except for the periodic noisemaking by its somehow radical presidential candidates, who have not made any significant impression.

    Electoral success has often eluded it, except in two federal constituencies where the party was hired by aggrieved politicians from other political parties as a special-purpose vehicle.

    The previously incurably weak party is now being dressed up by the associates and followers of the veteran presidential contender for the next battle.

    These allies left their time-tested brand, the PDP, in frustration, to take refuge in a strange land.

    Perhaps, the only new thing about it all is the manifestation of a pre-determined plot to hijack the platform, following the failure of the coalition arrowheads to go through the hurdles of fresh party registration.

    ADC is not a fusion of like-minded legacy parties like the APC. It is not a product of an alliance, accord or alliance of parties. It is an organisation of PDP dropouts and a few disgruntled elements who lost out in the ruling party.

    What actually happened yesterday was like an invasion by these desperate actors. It was a classic form of hostile takeover by the chief bidder. But the anticipated displacement of old ADC members is being resisted by the original landlords. It means that the spade work by Atiku’s men was not tidy.

    The newcomers, who definitely have bigger status, and the old, paper-weight members who are now being relegated to the background, have started locking horns. The interim leadership is being disputed. It is taking off in a crisis. Both camps are enveloped in controversy and anxiety over the clash of interests and egos.

    Since 2006 when it was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ADC has been largely perceived as a backup to the PDP. But, it has been left floating until some political developments obliterated the role.

    What the camp of Atiku is bringing to the table is unclear, except that a party has now been found for the former Vice President to contest the next election. The joiners are not ideologues. Thus, there is no benefit of fresh breath, but the consolidation of hostility against their common and politically successful foe, Asiwaju Tinubu.

    The current adventure is consistent with the antecedents of Atiku, a serial defector, who in the space of 26 years, has traversed three parties -the PDP, APC and ADC – in a bid to actualise his dream of ruling Nigeria.

    In 2006, the vice president left in PDP for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). After the 2007 poll, which he contested up to the Supreme Court, he retraced his steps to the PDP. Much later, he pitched a tent with the APC. When he failed to get its ticket, he ran back to PDP, where he got the ticket in 2019 and 2023, but was defeated by Muhammadu Buhari and President Tinubu.

    In mustering strength again to try his luck on the platform of ADC, the political warhorse has exhibited something akin to a Lincolnian courage amid repeated political adversities.

    But herein lies the limitation of Atiku’s ADC. It only revolves around his personality, and in this brand of emerging internal democracy, the spirit of competition is dead in the party.

    The platform is exclusively for Atiku despite his lack of presidential right of first refusal. Such a platform driven by a personal or particularistic approach can hardly grow.

    The implication for Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), a reluctant coalition partner, is that he may be left in the cold. If the former Anambra State governor defects to ADC, the prospects of picking the presidential ticket are slim.

    If he is picked as Atiku’s running mate, the aspiration of his fanatical ‘Obidient’ followers may not be met.

    What Atiku and his supporters failed to achieve in the PDP in 2019 and 2023, can they achieve in two years? What was defective was not PDP, but their strategy right from the 2022 presidential convention, particularly their winners-take-all tactics, the feeling that the North can exclusively install a president and their disrespect for rotation or zoning as embedded in the PDP constitution.

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    In 2017, will zoning not be an issue?

    The individuals who defected to the ADC joined the party, not at the wards, but at the top. Not all their followers will embrace political gambling in furtherance of the interest of an individual.

    Besides, the ADC would need to confront the challenge of harmonisation of leadership.

    The ADC poses a challenge to the APC. But it is not more than the combined threats of PDP, LP and NNPP. Only the coalition of formidable opposition parties, and not the assemblage of “former this and former that” from PDP, can really challenge the APC to a duel.

    It now means that ADC has to brace up for missiles from its main target, APC, and other inter-party competitors. The journey, definitely, will not be smooth.

    As a party that had fought hard battles and won, the APC would not sleep on guard. It would be fighting from a position of strength. But, underestimating a rival in any political game is dangerous.

    But is ADC actually a threat? It is the half of PDP, and former APC members teaming up with them do not electorally add up. For example, Rotimi Amaechi, former transportation minister, never pulled any weight in the 2023 poll, having abandoned the party after losing the ticket in 2022. Although he has tried to de-market the Tinubu administration, the audience is not held captive. People do not believe his tales.

     Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General, lost his governorship bid in Kebbu State. His weight or clout in the chapter is doubtful.

    Former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika is facing trial for contract splitting and other allegations. Aregbesola is under punishment in the Osun chapter.

    Since his vice presidential bid collapsed, Kashim Imam has not really been keen about APC. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s complaints are not known.  But he parted ways with Asiwaju Tinubu when he was party chairman. He is former Edo governor.  But how many people can he now mobilise there?

    It is the second time the ADC would be drafted to tackle the APC. In 2019, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, according to reports, wanted to use it to get former President Muhammadu Buhari out. The report was never denied. But the move floundered. Buhari triumphed.

    Since it came on board, ADC has been more or less on the sidelines until 2023 when Dumebi Kachikwu ran on its platform for president.

    The party has also not been insulated from crisis. Chieftains spend more time in court than the party secretariat. Ralph Nwosu who welcomed Atiku and others to the party had ceased to be chairman since 2022. Aggrieved members claim that the court had ruled that any action taken by Nwosu since that time is null and void. Thus, a disputed leadership handed over those those who acquired it with all the liabilities.

    INEC recognition of party leadership is key. Some chieftains are complaining that the transfer of leadership was never ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

    There are now five effective political parties – APC, PDP, LP, ADC and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNDP). Judging by Nigeria’s political antecedents, there may be collaboration in the future that may underscore national predisposition to a two-party system.