The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have downplayed the formation of a new political party, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).

PDP, rather, insisted that its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on June 30, 2025, despite the rejection of its notice by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While the PDP said it was not worried by the move by some of its influential members, the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, told The Guardian that the party would make its position known at the appropriate time.

“I will address you when I am ready,” Morka said in response to a phone call, yesterday.

PDP’s spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, also dismissed concerns over the development. “The PDP is a well-structured, organised party working towards its laid-down objectives. We are not deterred or distracted. We are going ahead with our programmes and schedules,” he said.

It emerged last Thursday in Abuja that many senior figures from both APC and PDP had begun moves to establish ADA. The initiative is driven by disenchanted political heavyweights, including former Senate President, David Mark, who chairs the National Opposition Coalition Group (NOCG).

Their move is seen as a response to growing dissatisfaction within the PDP and a desire to form a new platform capable of challenging APC in the 2027 general elections.

Following a series of high-level consultations, the NOCG, on June 19, 2025, in Abuja, inaugurated a 15-member committee that approved the name, constitution, manifesto and logo of ADA, and appointed an interim leadership with Akin Ricketts as pro tem chairman.

Reacting, founding member of APC and former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, said the attempt by ADA to rally Northern support on the basis of marginalisation was misleading. He faulted ADA’s claim that the South would have ruled for 17 years by 2027, noting the North held power longer since 1960.

“That the North has presided over Nigeria more than the South was the basis on which the rotation convention between North and South was instituted in 1999,” he added.

On claims that the North is unhappy with President Bola Tinubu, he asked whether critics were ignoring the administration’s infrastructure projects, regional development commissions, and local government financial autonomy.

Asked if the ADA could gain ground by fielding a southern candidate in 2027, Okechukwu said: “Even if they respect zoning and pick a southerner, their obsession with power might hinder their ability to genuinely build bridges with PDP, All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Labour Party (LP) members.”

Meanwhile, PDP described the rejection of its notification by INEC as an attempt to interfere in its internal affairs.

The electoral body had, last week, rejected a notification by the PDP on the ground that the letter of notification failed to comply with extant rules and guidelines.

The letter signed by INEC’s acting National secretary, Haliru Aminu, reads: “The Commission draws your attention that the notice is not in compliance with the requirement of part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022 that provides ‘the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the Commission.”

At a briefing addressed by Ologunagba, yesterday, PDP explained that it merely sent a notification to INEC as a matter of courtesy, pointing out that it was not under any legal obligation to notify the electoral body.

The party explained that according to the its constitution and the Electoral Law, INEC is only required to be notified of conventions, congresses or primaries involving the election of party officers or candidates.

“We did not state that the meeting was for electing officers, conducting primaries, or nominating candidates for elective positions. Yet, the Acting Secretary of INEC, Halilu Aminu, decided to unilaterally assign a purpose to our meeting,” Ologunagba stated.

He announced that the 100th NEC meeting would review progress on preparations for its forthcoming national convention, including updates from the Zoning and Convention Committees constituted at the 99th NEC meeting.