Onyekachi Eze 
There are still suspicions over the possibility of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to serve as platform of opposition leaders for the 2027 general elections.
ADC was unveiled in Abuja last Wednesday by coalition leaders led by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, who emerged as interim National Chairman of the party, said the decision of opposition leaders to form coalition, was to prevent Nigeria from descent into a one-party state.
“It is a concerted effort to rebuild the crumbling pillars of Nigeria’s democracy,” Mark stated, adding that it is beyond gaining political power.
He alleged, “blatant destabilisation and infiltration of all major opposition political parties” by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and said it “is aimed at achieving only one objective, to enhance total state capture and leave Nigerians with no alternative or options in 2027.”
Former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, a known loyalist of President Bola Tinubu, is interim National Secretary of the coalition platform.
The unveiling ceremony attracted politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, as well as some PDP and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) elements in the APC.
Among opposition leaders at the unveiling ceremony were candidate of Labour Party in 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi; former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and his Kaduna State counterpart, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.
Former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodinyan described ADC as a strong political force that will oust the APC led Federal Government in 2027.
“The coalition is strong,” Ologbodinyan told Sunday Telegraph, adding; “This people (APC) are very jittery. Everything you saw at the unveiling was organic, no mobilization. Even the publicity was low.”
He boasted that there were still many political officeholders who intend to join the party.
According to him; “It will get to a point if they failed to align, they will lose (2027) election.”
Ologbodinyan dismissed the insinuation that the coalition is aimed at returning the North to power in 2027.
“It is a Nigerian thing, not the North. This government is not wearing a human face. Both the rich and poor are lamenting,” he said.
A source however told this newspaper that there is strong perception about the coalition.
“Anybody entering it is entering a trap. It is Atiku’s agenda. He midwived it to advance his political agenda,” he contended.
He stated that there are too much suspicions among members against each other.
According to him, ADC is not yet coalition political platform. “ADC is a trap against Obi,” he added.
He likened coalition platform to the formation of APC in 2013, but added that the legacy party succeeded at that time because it was President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for Muhammadu Buhari, “because the zoning favoured him. This time, the zoning did not favour Atiku.
“Obi is very careful. Amaechi and el-Rufai are trying to take the advantage in the system that if Obi refused to be running mate, they will be considered as one.
“ADC is not an alliance party. The organisation will not take off unless zoning is concluded. If the presidency goes to the South, it will succeed but if it favours Atiku, it will crumble.
“The heart of Obi’s camp is not there.”
The source, however, disclosed that Mark and others were pressuring Atiku to step down.
When asked the alternative platform Obi is considering if he backs out of the coalition, the source expressed confidence that the crisis in Labour Party will end before August.
“INEC knows that they can’t recognise (Julius) Abure; they are being pressured not to recognise Nenadi (Usman)”, he said.
He told Sunday Telegraph that the electoral body had invited Obi, Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti; Usman and Abure, to a mediation meeting, but Obi and Otti insisted that the party should be allowed to use its internal mechanism to resolve its differences.
Meanwhile, a former PDP governor, who pleaded anonymity, said those championing ADC as alternative platform were the same people who brought Buhari in 2015.
“What antecedents are we looking at? They want to rubbish Peter by offering Igbo man single tenure.
“What alternative philosophy or solutions that ADC is offering?” he asked, and challenged el-Rufai and Atiku to “address the invasion of Nigeria by imported bandits.
“Apart from power grabbing, what else do you see? We have been moving from good to bad, from President Goodluck Jonathan to Mohammadu Buhari.
“It’s this kind of thinking that is sliding Nigeria! We can do better.”
However, a key member of the Coalition told Sunday Telegraph in Lagos on Friday that it was difficult for Atiku to emerge as the candidate of the coalition.
“We can’t afford to field an 80-year-old as our candidate. What excuse are we offering Nigerians? Even at 70, I think I’m old to be running for positions now. I don’t see Atiku making it. there is pressure on him to allow a younger Southerner to run.”
