•APGA set to poach Mbah, Otti away from coalition into party’s fold 

•Kachikwu accuses INEC of collusion in ADC crisis, threatens legal action

•I stand firmly with PDP, Ningi declares 

•Abure, Usman’s factions of LP disagree over ultimatum to Obi’s coalition move

The presidency, yesterday, described the newly-formed opposition coalition under African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a hollow alliance of disgruntled politicians, warning that the group poses a threat to Nigeria’s democratic progress and stability.

In a formal reaction to Wednesday’s unveiling of ADC in Abuja by some opposition politicians, the presidency described its promoters as political “desperados” driven not by ideology or national interest but by personal ambition and bitterness towards President Bola Tinubu.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated on his verified X handle that most of the figures now aligning with ADC had long distanced themselves from All Progressives Congress (APC), some even before the 2023 general election.

According to Onanuga, “Rotimi Amaechi’s soul left the APC in 2022 after he lost the presidential primary to President Tinubu. Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General, has also not hidden his detachment from the APC since the president emerged, especially after his failed bid to govern Kebbi State.”

Onanuga further stated that former aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, now part of the ADC group, was facing trial over allegations of contract splitting and abuse of office.

Similarly, he said the former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, who was expelled from APC for anti-party activities during the last governorship election in the state, had found refuge in the coalition.

Other notable defectors, Onanuga added, included Kashim Imam, who reportedly withdrew from APC after failing to clinch the vice presidential slot in 2022, and Chief John Odigie Oyegun, a former APC national chairman, who had long distanced himself from the party and had been a key figure in the opposition’s regrouping efforts.

“These are not people of principle or vision. They are desperate men and women who cannot bear political obscurity. Their only bond is animosity towards President Tinubu, not a shared ideology or developmental blueprint for the country,” Onanuga alleged.

He warned that the ADC coalition lacked both structure and substance, insisting that it would collapse under the weight of its members’ conflicting ambitions.

“A political party built on nothing more than shared resentment cannot move Nigeria forward. Nigerians must not be misled. This is a coalition of convenience that will only set the country back by decades,” he said.

Onanuga urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, describing the ADC movement as a fragile platform that offers no real alternative and is destined to unravel in due course.

“What we are seeing is not a credible force for change, but a gathering of the politically displaced, seeking relevance by any means possible,” he stated.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Mr. Sunday Dare, also declared that there was no basis for comparing ADC with the 2013 merger that birthed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dare described the current coalition move as a desperate and self-serving power grab ahead of 2027 general election.

In a statement posted on his verified X handle (@SundayDareSD), he said the coalition, which several opposition politicians were championing as a pathway to reclaim national power, was not rooted in principle or justice, but “purely opportunistic.”

Dare stated, “Heads up for Nigerians about ADC — There is no injustice to redress — only avaricious ambition to satisfy.”

He stressed that unlike APC’s emergence in 2013, the current coalition was not driven by national interest.

According to him, the new opposition alliance was being led by “a serial election loser, clutching at what he clearly sees as his last shot at the presidency.”

Dare stated that the coalition’s chief promoter lacked the backing of key political constituency, including his own state governor and region, and has no substantial political structure to lean on.

The presidential aide further stated, “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-travellers.”

Drawing a sharp contrast with APC’s founding, Dare recalled that the 2013 merger was built on strategic discipline and collective sacrifice.

Emphasising the leading role played by Tinubu, who put national interest above personal ambition at the time, Dare said, “In 2013, the merger that birthed the APC was driven by selflessness, national interest, and strategic discipline.

“Asiwaju Bola 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.”

The presidential aide also referred to the unifying influence of then General Muhammadu Buhari, whom he described as “a man seen as a symbol of integrity” and a rallying figure with a national grassroots following, something he claimed the current coalition sorely lacked.

Dare stated, “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.

“The APC coalition emerged to address real grievances: the constitutional denial of power to a region that had been unfairly side-lined and to end the 16 years of ruinous governance by the PDP. It was a coalition grounded in justice and balance.”

In contrast, he said, the current attempt lacked any ideological or national cause, especially as the presidency was already zoned to a region that, in his words, is “rightfully due.”

He added, “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,” insisting that the difference between 2013 and today is as clear as day.

“Let’s be clear: this is not 2013—and this is not the APC,” he said.

ADC Populated by Politicians Who Can’t Stay Out of Power, Patronage, Ruling APC Asserts

The ruling APC has described the unveiling of the ADC as a coalition of politicians, who could not bear to be out of the corridors of power and patronage.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, in a statement, further described ADC as  a coalition of hoaxers, self-obsessed merchants of vendetta, and a roll call of “Nigeria’s me-or-nothing politicians, who equate their selfish interest with the interest of Nigerians.”

He 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.”

The party spokesperson noted the speech delivered by National Chairman of ADC, Senator David Mark, was disgracefully vacant, without substance or purpose.

He stressed that the speech was nothing but stitches of untruths, diatribe, and regurgitated and baseless allegations against the APC-led administration of Tinubu.

Morka added, “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-travelers 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 cost, by all means necessary and unnecessary?

“Senator Mark’s speech was loud in its silence to these questions because himself and his coalition partners are disgracefully clueless, without a care or concern about Nigeria and Nigerians, only filled with wolfish quest for power for their own mendacious end.”

Morka said the opposition must think Nigerians to be gullible and uncritical. He said quite to the contrary, Nigerians were highly perceptive and discerning and will not be taken in by the coalition’s grand folly. 

He added that the desperation was the reason for their wilful blindness to the massive structural transformation of the country’s economy that had earned the praise and admiration of local and global economic experts.

El-Rufai Warns of Infiltration Plot by APC

Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, revealed that the coalition of opposition parties currently rallying under ADC might register an entirely new political party ahead of the 2027 general elections as a strategic backup.

Speaking during an interview with the Hausa Service of Radio France International (RFI) on Wednesday night, El-Rufai sounded the alarm over what he described as a calculated attempt by the ruling APC to infiltrate and destabilise ADC.

“We know APC can infiltrate our coalition,” El-Rufai stated bluntly, adding, “That is why we have a backup plan. If they succeed in causing chaos in ADC, we will simply migrate to another party.”

The former governor, who had emerged as one of the architects of the opposition realignment, accused APC of deploying a carrot-and-stick strategy: enticing opposition members with appointments, cash incentives, or automatic party tickets, while threatening those who resist with investigations by anti-corruption agencies, like EFCC, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

According to El-Rufai, the APC-led federal government is using state machinery to pressure political actors into joining its ranks or, alternatively, to cripple their participation in the upcoming polls.

“They’ll dig up old ADC members and instigate them to reject the alliance publicly. This is part of the plan to create internal disputes and render the party unusable for our coalition,” he warned.

Despite the unveiling of ADC in Abuja as the opposition’s main political vehicle just days ago, El-Rufai’s comments suggested that the coalition leaders were deeply sceptical of the long term viability of any party that could be manipulated from within.

El-Rufai further alleged that APC had been sponsoring internal crises in major opposition parties like the PDP, Labour Party, and NNPP in a bid to fragment their influence ahead of the next general election in 2027.

“What the APC is doing is not democracy. It’s political sabotage,” El-Rufai said.

Obi: In ADC, We’ll Put Nigerians First

Former presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, said ADC would always put Nigerians first in all its decisions.

This was as Obi reaffirmed his support for the adoption of ADC as the coalition platform ahead of the 2027 general election to unseat Tinubu.

Obi said the move was borne out of a commitment to provide competent and compassionate leadership for Nigeria.

In a post on his X handle, the former Anambra governor said the coalition’s decision to unite under ADC was not taken lightly, but came after “deep reflection” on Nigeria’s current state and the urgent need for a new direction.

Obi wrote, “Yesterday, the coalition members formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (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.”

Obi emphasised the importance of collaboration among opposition forces, stating, “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.”

Amaechi Blames Citizens’ Docility for Leadership Failure

Former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, blamed citizens’ docility for leadership failure in the country. Amaechi, also a former minister of transportation, stated this yesterday in Abuja at the 2025 National Social Cohesion Dialogue (NSCD) and Unveiling of the 2025 NSCD survey report, with the theme, “Rebuilding citizens trust and public confidence in government and public institutions.”

The event was organised by the African Polling Institute (API) and sponsored by the Ford Foundation.

According to him, the elite are not the problem of Nigeria but the masses whom he described are so docile.

He stated, “The elite of Nigeria are not the problem of Nigeria, we are not up to 20,000 elite that are stealing Nigerian money. But you have 200 million Nigerians that can fight 200,000 men.

“You sit down in your house and you’re complaining. Why do you think that the elite would take their hands from what they are feeding on? When all you do is to sit down in your houses, grumble and organise one small lecture on how you’re feeling, who told you that the elite don’t know how you’re feeling?

“They know how you’re feeling. They know you’re not happy. If they don’t know, you will not see them in their girlfriend’s house after 6pm. You know why? Because they are running away from you.

“They are scared, but you are helpless not because the elite want you to be helpless, you’re helpless because you make yourself helpless. The same elite who rigged elections are on the seat. What have you done? Until Nigerian citizens stop blaming the elite, nothing will change in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is the most docile society I’ve seen in my life. Politician’s have shown that they’re worse than the military.”

Amaechi stated that citizens must take responsibility for their own empowerment and not rely solely on the government,, even as he urged Nigerians to stop blaming the elite and, instead, focus on creating change through their own actions.

Wike Questions Mark’s Credentials

Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike,  challenged the interim Chairman of  ADC, Senator David Mark, to justify his credentials as two-term Senate President from 2007 to 2015.

He accused Mark, former Speaker of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and former Governor of Rivers State, Amaechi, and others of joining the coalition because they were angry.

Wike berated Mark for not having any project to his name as the senate president for eight years.

He stated, “I will take on them one by one. Now let me ask you, I heard David Mark said he wanted to rescue Nigerians and that Nigerians are angry. David Mark was Senate President for eight years. And there was no single project to Otukpo; not one. He was flying with a helicopter to go Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then. Nigerians are only angry now. 

“When Rotimi Amaechi was Minister for eight years, Nigerians were not angry. When Nigeria became indebted, Amaechi took Chinese loans and Nigerians were happy. It is now that Nigerians are angry. I saw Hadi Sidika. He is also saying Nigerians are angry. They want to rescue Nigeria. So, I’m asking this simple question: What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then.

“You see, it is unfortunate that they use Nigerians to play politics up and down. When you are angry with me, Nigerians are not happy. The only time Nigerians are happy is when you have power.

“The moment you are not having power, Nigerians are angry. You quarrel with your boss, Nigerians are angry. You did not get anything from Tinubu, Nigerians are angry

“When they went to APC in 2015 and took over the reins of power in 2023, Nigerians were happy. Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? And what is he doing to solve the problem he met?

“Tambuwal, you were Speaker for four years. What did you do to make Nigerians not to be angry? You were a governor in Sokoto State.

“That boy, he was speaker for four years. What did he do?  To make Nigerians not to be angry. You were a governor in Sokoto State.”

Wike also lashed out at a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, for pretending to be totally deaf and dumb to the problems bedevilling the country in the past, asking, “Why are people thinking that Nigerians have gone so foolish? That you use Nigerians all the time.”

You’re Jittery, ADC Replies Wike

ADC, yesterday, said it had taken note of the virulent attacks launched on the various leaders of the coalition movement by Nyesom Wike and dismissed him as jittery.

In a statement by the spokesman of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said, ‘’Without justifying this behaviour that we find incompatible with the office of a Federal Minister, we believe Minister Wike could only descend to that level because of his mortal fear of the threat that the successful unveiling of the coalition of opposition political parties constitutes to the government that he serves.

‘’We observe that if Minister Wike and the government that he serves had kept their promises to the Nigerian people, the coalition movement would not have been necessary and he would not have had a need to be so jittery.

‘’If Minister Wike had paid the salaries of primary school teachers, who have been on strike for several months and if he had not treated FCT workers with so much contempt, while he goes about commissioning white elephant projects running into billions of Naira, he would have had no need to be afraid of the coalition.’’

Abdullahi said, ‘’Minister Wike claimed in his media chat that the coalition leaders are driven only by grievances. If we have any grievances, it is the way the government he is a part of has driven majority of Nigerians into poverty and misery. We are aggrieved to see children of the poor unable to get education because he would not pay their teachers’ salaries.

“We are aggrieved to watch the growing insecurity in the FCT that he superintends. We are aggrieved that minister Wike had allowed himself to be used by the government he serves to destroy one of the most powerful political parties in Africa, the PDP.  

‘’But it is rather too late in the day to cry. The coalition movement belongs to the Nigerian people who had been promised renewed hope, but have been served renewed hopelessness. Therefore, no amount of tirade against the leaders of the coalition could stem the tide of this popular movement.’’

PDP Yet to Take Any Official Position

National Working Committee (NWC) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) debunked insinuations in the media that it had directed its members to join the coalition group.

In a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party 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.

‘’Nevertheless, as a major opposition Party with very strong presence and bond with Nigerians across the country, the PDP restates that it remains open to working with other well-meaning like-minded citizens in the collective effort to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the rudderless and insensitive All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration.

‘’Our party appreciates Nigerians for their interest, solidarity and loyalty to the PDP brand and reassures that all machineries are being put in place to re-activate the PDP winning ways ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

APGA to Poach Mbah, Otti from Coalition

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said it was set to welcome two prominent governors in the South-east into its fold.

National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Mr Ejimofor Opara, said the party was set to poach both Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Alex Otti of Abia, who belonged to PDP and LP, respectively, into APGA.

Ejimofor said the decision was taken at the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting where Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Uche Nwegbo, was mandated to lead a high-powered delegation to commence the process.

He said, “The National Working Committee’s decision is a testament to APGA’s commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive platform for progressive governance in Nigeria.

“At the 16th NWC Meeting held at the Party’s National Headquarters in Abuja, the NWC resolved to reach out to Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Alex Otti of Abia State, with a view to welcoming them into the APGA family.

“This development was sequel to a motion moved by the Party’s Vice Chairman Southeast, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, who noted that the current political landscape makes it expedient for the party to take this step.

“APGA is known for its commitment to the welfare of the poor and vulnerable and remains steadfast in its mission to leave no one behind. The Party’s leadership believes that the inclusion of these governors will further strengthen its resolve to make a positive impact in the lives of Nigerians.”

Kachikwu Accuses INEC of Collusion in ADC Crisis, Threatens Legal Action

The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and entrenched interests within the party’s leadership for the prolonged crisis threatening the future of the ADC.

Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television, Kachikwu condemned what he described as “a dangerous coalition of strange bedfellows” working to hijack the party’s structure.

He specifically criticised INEC for its alleged failure to act decisively during a period of deepening internal discord.

According to Kachikwu, the crisis within the ADC began after the expiration of the tenure of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, on August 21, 2022.

He said, “From that point forward, the party has remained in limbo.”

He recalled that court rulings had directed the conduct of a special convention to resolve the leadership tussle but lamented INEC’s apparent inaction.

“INEC refused to play the role of umpire or regulator. They just watched while the party sank deeper into crisis,” he said.

Kachikwu further alleged that efforts by leadership of the proposed political coalition to partner with the ADC stalled due to their insistence on working with Nwosu, whom he accused of repeatedly compromising the party.

He said, “When they reached out to me, I told them clearly: if you’re talking to Ralph Nwosu, it’s a non-starter. That man has sold this party multiple times.”

He also criticised the coalition’s rejection of zoning and the principle of power rotation.

Ningi: I Remain Firmly with PDP

The senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District of Bauchi State, Senator Abdul Ningi,  declared that he remained a member of the main opposition PDP.

Political observers were of the opinion that Ningi might have parted ways with his political mentor and confidant, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Ningi and Atiku Abubakar had been inseparable political duo since 1999 as Ningi had been at the forefront of Atiku’s political struggles.

In a statement he personally signed, Ningi stated, “I, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi  (CON), wish to address the public, the media, my supporters, and the people of Nigeria with complete transparency and unwavering conviction.

“Let there be no room for speculation or misunderstanding: I am a dedicated and loyal member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“I have spent the entirety of my political career standing on the platform of the PDP — a party that has consistently represented the hopes and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

“My journey in public service has always been guided by the party’s principles of accountability, equity, and people-centered governance.

“Over the years, I have served with distinction in the National Assembly — first as a Member of the House of Representatives for 12 years, then as Senate Deputy Majority Leader, and now as Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.

“Through these roles, I have always carried the PDP flag with pride, dignity, and unshakable belief in its vision for a better Nigeria.

“In light of recent developments and the emergence of a new coalition party being reported across media and political circles, I wish to make it abundantly clear that I have no affiliation whatsoever with that political movement.

“I am not part of it, I have not endorsed it, and I do not subscribe to its formation or purpose. My name and reputation should not be used in any attempt to promote or legitimize any political structure outside the PDP.

“My focus remains unchanged: to work tirelessly within the framework of the PDP to bring about meaningful progress to our people.”

Abure, Usman’s Factions of LP Differ over 48-hour Ultimatum to Obi over Coalition

The two factions of the Labour Party differed over a 48-hour ultimatum handed Obi over his association with acoalition movement and now ADC.

While the Julius Abure faction handed him the 48-hour ultimatum, demanding his formal resignation from the party, the Nnena Usman asked Obi to go ahead with his association with the coalition.

In a strongly worded statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Labour Party distanced itself from the coalition and accused its members of being “power mongers” with no genuine interest in building a better Nigeria.

“We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party,” the statement said, adding, “Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda or deceptive personas.”

The party warned that any of its members who continued to associate with the coalition must resign within 48 hours or face expulsion, reaffirming its position as a platform for a new political order driven by the youth.

“Nearly 70 per cent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate,” Ifoh stated, and noted that, “The new Nigeria cannot be birthed by desperate and recycled politicians.”

Reacting, Senior Special Adviser, Media, to the Acting National Caretaker committee of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, Ken Eluma Asogwa, urged Obi to ignore the ultimatum.

In a statement, the faction said, ‘’The attention of the Labour Party has been drawn to misleading reports and commentaries suggesting that His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, has been issued a 48-hour ultimatum to resign from the party following his participation in the recent coalition talks and the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja.

‘’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.’’