The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would not fly in the 2027 polls.
Prominent PDP chieftains, led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a few APC members, defected to the party on Wednesday in Abuja and took over the leadership.
Dismissing ADC as a party invaded by selfish, egocentric defectors, APC said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, that it is now “a roll call of Nigeria’s me-or-nothing politicians.”
Also, the PDP said in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, that it is not bothered about the coalition.
It is preoccupied with preparations for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and the National Convention.
Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Peter Obi, explained his participation in the coalition talks and his presence at the unveiling.
He said only a collaborative effort can tackle the ruling party in the next general election.
However, the former Anambra State governor remained non-committal to the call on coalition members to join ADC.
Taking a swipe at the party, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike said the new ADC leaders were selfish politicians.
PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) member Chief Olabode George chided the defectors, saying that ADC is a rolling stone driven by selfish ambition.
ADC can’t defend public interest, says APC
Faulting the adoption of ADC by the pro-Atiku coalition members, Morka said: “It was an unveiling of a coalition of hoaxers and self-obsessed merchants of vendetta, a roll call of Nigeria’s me-or-nothing politicians, who equate their selfish interest with the interest of Nigerians, who cannot bear to be out of the corridors of power and patronage, who are desperate to grab power for themselves by guile and subterfuge, who lay claim to an immoral birthright to power, even while draped in odious record of betrayal of public trust, and rapacious public service.”
Picking holes in the acceptance speech of the ADC interim national chairman, Senator David Mark, he said it lacked substance and depth.
Morka stressed: “The speech delivered by Senator David Mark, the alleged National Chairman of ADC, was disgracefully vacant, without substance or purpose, nothing but stitches of untruths, diatribe, and regurgitated and baseless allegations against the APC-led administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“From beginning to end, Senator Mark said nothing about the purpose of the so-called coalition other than a loud declaration of desperation for power.
“What value does the coalition bring to Nigerians? Why should any Nigerian be concerned about a coalition of a bunch of egotistical maniacs for whom power and patronage are the oxygen on which their lives depend?
“One would have expected that, after months of vacillating between the devil and the deep blue sea, in search of a host platform, Senator Mark and his co-travellers would take Nigerians seriously enough by telling them what their coalition would do differently regarding the administration’s bold economic and sectoral policy reforms.
“What key alternative policy approaches would the coalition implement, and with what prospects of success compared to the high value and transformative impact of the administration’s reform policies?
“What exactly is the philosophical or ideological leaning of the coalition or its new party, aside from desperation for power at all costs, by all means necessary and unnecessary?
“Senator Mark’s speech was loud in its silence to these questions because he and his coalition partners are disgracefully clueless, without a care or concern about Nigeria and Nigerians, only filled with a wolfish quest for power for their own mendacious end.”
Morka said the Tinubu Administration is “delivering improved living conditions and benefits to Nigerians.”
He said President Tinubu, who is not disturbed by the activities of the coalition, is focused on using all available bricks to build a stronger, enduring and more prosperous nation.
Ologunagba: PDP has no official position yet
Ologunagba clarified that PDP has not directed any of its members to join ADC.
He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC states in clear terms that the PDP has not taken any official position on the issue of coalition.
“The PDP is for now focused on building and consolidating on attained unity, stability and strengthening of its structures and capacity to play its roles as the leading opposition Party determined to return to power in 2027.
“Our party is currently working conscientiously towards a successful National Convention, which will further revamp and reposition the PDP for the task ahead.”
The publicity secretary reiterated the view of the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, that the party can only work with willing opposition groups without surrendering its independence or strength.
Ologunagba said the PDP will only work with others without surrendering its brand, adding that the party can win the 2027 elections on its own.
Why I support coalition, by Obi
Obi explained that the decision to join the coalition was not made lightly.
He tweeted: “Yesterday, the coalition members formally adopted the ADC for the 2027 Nigeria General Elections with Distinguished Senator David Mark serving as the National Chairman and H.E. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola serving as the National Secretary.
“Our commitment is to sacrifice and work together towards the 2027 General Elections, ensuring that Nigeria gets a competent, capable, and compassionate leadership that will prioritise the nation’s future by putting the welfare of Nigerians first.
“This decision was not made lightly. It comes from deep reflection on where we are as a country and what must be done to move forward.
“No one group can change Nigeria alone. To dismantle the structures that keep our people in poverty and insecurity, we must build bridges, not walls, even when those bridges are uneasy.”
Read Also: APC Rep membership rises to 220 as party consolidates hold
Abure’s LP faction to Obi: resign
The Julius Abure-led faction of the LP issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Obi to resign from the party over his involvement in the coalition.
Factional LP National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh reiterated the party’s rejection of the coalition, describing it as a gathering of “recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians”.
He said in a statement: “Former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Gregory Obi, has received a 48-hour ultimatum to formally resign his membership of the Labour Party, having formally joined the coalition party.
“We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them have refused to defect with him.
“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition, and therefore, any of our members who are part of the coalition are given 48 hours to formally resign their membership of the party.
“Labour Party is not available for people with a dual agenda, people with a deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one party and another leg elsewhere.
“People who, in the morning, claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening are in the coalition.
“Nearly 70 per cent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate.
“The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of is not what can be realised from what we are seeing in the coalition.
“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into the circle of power — people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.”
Nenadi LP faction dismisses resignation ultimatum
The LP faction, led by Caretaker Chairman Senator Nenadi Usman, said no ultimatum was issued to Obi by the party.
In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media to Usman, Ken Asogwa, the party said Obi’s involvement in the coalition efforts has its full backing.
It said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the leadership of the Labour Party, on May 26, 2025, publicly declared its full support for Mr. Obi’s involvement in the coalition efforts aimed at creating a robust political alternative to rescue Nigeria from the disastrous misrule of the APC. That position has not changed.
“We wish to reaffirm that Mr. Peter Obi’s participation in the coalition activities, including the ADC unveiling, was done with the full knowledge, approval, and support of the Labour Party leadership.
“The individuals claiming to have issued an ultimatum to Mr. Obi are political jesters with no legitimate standing in the Labour Party.
“They are neither recognised by the party nor by the law, having long been sacked by the Supreme Court of Nigeria – the highest court in the land – and suspended from the party for their serial acts of indiscipline and anti-party activities.
“It is the remnants of the disorder and mess left behind by these impostors that the current leadership under Senator Nenadi Usman continues to clean.
“Therefore, members of the public, and especially the media, are urged to disregard the distractions and mischief from these discredited elements.
“For clarity, the only legitimate and authoritative source of information regarding the official position of the Labour Party on any matter remains the office of Senator Nenadi Usman, Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party.”
Atiku, Mark selfish, says George
George, who spoke on television, chided Atiku and Mark for a lack of principle, saying that they are driven by personal ambition.
He said: “I’m very disappointed. I must be frank with you. If your house is leaking and you are strong enough, you remain in that house. You call people to fix it. You don’t run out and become a tenant somewhere else.
“PDP is very healthy. We have resolved our crisis, and on June 30th, we resurrected. That was the turning point. We are now in a new beginning, a redemption.
“They benefited immensely from the PDP. Now, because things didn’t go their way, they jumped ship. That’s not how we were brought up in the military or in any principled organisation.
“You think the Nigerian electorate is stupid? We will meet on the field. Let them go. I’m a general. If I have ten men and eight are loyal, I’ll go to war.”
George also cast doubt on the opposition coalition’s ability to agree on a single candidate, saying that ego and ambition would get in the way.
He said: “Who will step down for whom? Atiku for Obi? Obi for Atiku? That’s their business. It’s all about personal ambition, not national interest.
“There is no part of this country where you won’t find PDP. These others are still forming. How long will it take to build real grassroots support?
“You can’t dance on the graves of the founding fathers of PDP and expect to succeed.”
Wike: New ADC leaders are failed politicians
Wike insisted that the new ADC leaders are failed and expired politicians, adding that they also lack credibility and the capacity to challenge President Tinubu in 2027.
Taking on the coalition leaders one by one, Wike said they have nothing to offer to Nigerians.
Wike described the coalition as a “desperate fallback” for political figures who failed to gain control of the PDP
He said: “There is no coalition. The opposition has decimated itself. The only party that can, if properly organised, challenge this government is the PDP.”
He accused Mark of trying to hijack the PDP leadership before becoming interim chairman of the ADC.
Wike said: “I heard David Mark said they want to rescue Nigeria. Nigerians are not happy. But the man was Senate President for eight years, and Nigerians were happy?
“There was no single project in Otukpo. Not one. He was flying in a helicopter to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, but they are angry now?”
He said Mark, as leader of the PDP in his area, lost elections as his daughter, who ran under the APC, won the House of Representatives.
Wike added: “Amaechi was a minister. He took Chinese loans and made Nigeria so much indebted to China. So, Nigerians were happy then?
“When you were in power, Nigerians were happy, but the moment you were no longer in power, Nigerians are no longer happy.
“I saw Sirika. What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then?
“When they went to APC in 2013 and took over power, Nigerians were happy, but no longer happy today?
“Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? What is he doing? To solve the problems he met.
“I read what Malami wrote. It was so shameful. He was AGF. What did he do? What was his contribution to resolving the security challenges?
“Tambuwal was Speaker for four years. What did he do to make Nigerians not angry? He was governor for eight years. What did he do? What kind of politics are we playing?”
Wike added that the former Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, only moved to the ADC because he had fallen out with his godfather, Senator Bukola Saraki.
He also criticised Ovation publisher, Dele Momodu, saying that he is politically irrelevant.
Wike stressed: “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.”
The minister accused Atiku of chronic political opportunism.
He said: “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
“Every time, he jumps ship. They’re just looking for where they can be in charge.”
He questioned their credibility, arguing that their criticisms of the government were simply bitterness over personal losses.
He said: “They keep saying Nigerians are angry. Say the truth: you were defeated here. Don’t project your frustration onto the public.”
Wike challenged the coalition figures to measure their records against his achievements in public office.
He said: “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 said former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s involvement in the coalition was driven by disappointment over being sidelined.
Wike queried: “ If the president hadn’t dumped him, would he be part of any coalition?”
