The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said that with the emergence of a coalition, Nigeria may benefit from what he called the “reawakening of opposition from what has been a long slumber”.

He said, “I respect the rights to associate, and Nigeria perhaps benefits from the reawakening of opposition from what has been a long slumber, if you ask me. The opposition essentially abdicated its responsibility over the last two years.”

He, however, said the coalition had a responsibility to provide a compelling alternative message, as it was not enough for individuals to gather to change Nigeria.

Fashola said, “The second point to make is that it is a manifestation of a right to choose a freedom of choice, a freedom to associate, and one must respect that as I do.

“In terms of the political consequences, there are many things that I’m waiting to see. Gathering ourselves together and saying we want to change Nigeria, we want to remake Nigeria, is all very well and good.

“What is the compelling alternative message? Without a manifesto, without a programme of action, I can’t speak to how persuasive the coalition will be, but there’s still a distance to run.

Fashola’s reaction followed the adoption of the African Democratic Congress by some leading opposition leaders as the political party to contest the presidential election and defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

They include the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi; and a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

The ADC subsequently appointed a former senate president, Senator David Mark, as its interim National Chairman, and a former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as its interim National Secretary.

While the party maintains that it has what it takes to win the 2027 presidential election, the ruling APC insists that any coalition against President Tinubu’s second-term bid will fail.