Presidency Reveals When ADC Will Collapse

Presidency Reveals When ADC Will Collapse

The Presidency has predicted the collapse of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition within six months, describing it as ideologically hollow and lacking policy alternatives to the current administration. Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, asserting that the alliance is a coalition of “internally displaced politicians” with no coherent vision.

Bwala claimed that Labour Party’s 2023 Vice-Presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, had already acknowledged the looming internal crisis when he warned that the coalition’s excitement needed to be tempered, and its presidential ambitions could lead to division. According to Bwala, the coalition has failed to articulate any viable alternatives to the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and has instead resorted to criticism without substance. He predicted the alliance would disintegrate within months, citing infighting over leadership ambitions.

Reinforcing this stance, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized that President Tinubu’s administration remains focused on governance and reforms, refusing to be distracted by what he described as politically motivated coalitions. He highlighted achievements such as a drop in crude oil theft, increasing investor confidence, stabilizing inflation and the naira, and initiatives like student loans, consumer credit, and agricultural mechanization programmes. Idris noted that the government recently enacted major tax reforms and continues to pursue policies aimed at economic growth and food security.

Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State also dismissed the coalition as a gathering of disgruntled politicians who were previously part of government and are now aggrieved due to their exclusion. He challenged the coalition members to present clear policies, particularly on sensitive issues like fuel subsidy, and questioned their motives and track records.

Meanwhile, Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State denied claims that he and other state officials had defected to the ADC. In a statement by his media aide, Oyebanji dismissed the reports as false and misleading, affirming his loyalty to the APC.

In response to legal challenges against its interim leadership, the ADC has assembled a legal team of 97 lawyers to defend prominent members including former Senate President David Mark and ex-Minister Rauf Aregbesola. The party alleged that the APC was behind a fake lawsuit targeting its leadership. Mark, who now chairs the ADC, reaffirmed the party’s commitment to internal democracy and transparency, insisting that the coalition would not be hijacked by individual ambitions.

The ADC has also seen a wave of defections, notably from Borno and Ondo States. In Borno, figures including former PDP gubernatorial candidate Idris Durkwa, Sheriff Banki, and others announced their departure from the PDP and APC to join the ADC. In Ondo, former governorship candidates Eyitayo Jegede and Agboola Ajayi, along with other prominent PDP figures, declared their allegiance to the coalition. The state coordinator, Prof. Bode Ayorinde, stated that the movement was growing rapidly and would influence the upcoming governorship election.

Salihu Lukman, a key promoter of the anti-Tinubu coalition within the ADC, insisted the party would not hand over its structures to any presidential hopefuls, including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, or Rotimi Amaechi. Lukman emphasized that the coalition prioritized building strong internal structures capable of regulating elected officials and ensuring accountability.

Amid the political turmoil, a faction of the Labour Party announced plans to expel Peter Obi over his involvement in the coalition while still claiming LP membership. A chieftain, Abayomi Arabambi, declared that Obi’s actions violated party rules. However, another faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman rejected this, dismissing the expulsion plot as the work of political impostors. The group reaffirmed that Obi’s coalition activities had full backing from the Labour Party leadership, describing the attempted expulsion as illegal and baseless.