Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, says the opposition coalition formed under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will collapse within six months due to a lack of ideology and vision.

Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Bwala said the coalition comprises politicians without a unified agenda, describing them as “internally displaced politicians” who have failed to present credible alternatives to Nigerians.

“What I still find intriguing is that this coalition of internally displaced politicians has not been able to summon the courage to come up with alternative facts, alternative policies, or alternative programmes,” Bwala said.

He added that the coalition has relied solely on press statements and criticism without offering a roadmap to challenge the ruling party.

Bwala said, “Throughout the interview you had with Peter Obi, what I observed is that he has not been able to counter or disagree  in the real sense of the word  with the policies.

“They have not brought a single alternative policy to the table. The truth is, they lack vision and have not shown Nigerians they truly care.”

Bwala predicted that internal power struggles, particularly over who becomes the presidential flagbearer, would tear the group apart and cause ADC’s collapse before it gets off the ground.

“All this fantasy of coalition, we all know that once there is a phenomenon like that, we are going to have a good two to three weeks of romanticising: ‘we have ideas, we can do this.

“One of them  Datti (Baba-Ahmed) has already sensed the danger ahead and said the problem of this coalition will be who becomes the president. Because right now  I’m quoting him  ‘everybody wants to be the president,’” he said.

“After one month, when they sit down, I am telling you on my honour, in the next six months, that coalition will not even be a conversation. They will scatter.”

He also claimed that Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has effectively stepped down for Atiku Abubakar, former Vice-President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to Bwala, Obi is now struggling to secure the vice-presidential ticket and may compete for the slot with Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation.

He added that there are talks of Obi being appointed Director-General of the coalition’s campaign, with promises that Atiku would serve a single term to pave the way for Obi to contest in the future.

However, Obi recently declared his intention to run for president again in 2027, dismissing reports that he had agreed to serve under Atiku.

“Peter Obi is now a non-issue. He’s a non-starter. Already, he has conceded his presidential ambition to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“Now he has become second fiddle, but he needs to fight for the vice-presidential ticket with Rotimi Amaechi.

“And from what we are hearing, they have convinced him that he will be director-general of the campaign to lead the movement  and that when they win the election, Atiku will do one term, and then Peter Obi will return to become president,” he stated. 

Recall that earlier, several opposition figures including Obi, Atiku, Amaechi, former Senate President David Mark, and ex-Minister Rauf Aregbesola adopted the ADC as a platform to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

But Bwala insists the alliance is unstable and poses no threat to the presidency.