Coalition Group in Dilemma Over Choice of Party, As Atiku, Oyegun, Malami and Tambuwal seems resolved on ADC

Chuks Okocha in Abuja 

The coalition of opposition against the reelection of President Bola Tinubu is in dilemma over the choice of political party for the 2027 general election.

As the slated Friday May 30 meeting of the group to unveil the political party to be used to prosecute the transitional politics to unseat President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress from power draws closer, it seems not much is yet achieved in deciding the choice of political party.

The decision to make is whether to adopt the existing African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Chief Okey Nwose or to register an entirely new political party, which is the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), as submitted to the group’s leadership. 

According to inside sources, the major drivers for the adoption of the ADC are the former vice president, Atiku Abubukar, former governor of Edo State, John Oyegun, former governor of Osun Chief Rauf Aregbesola, former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Abubukar Malami and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Aminu Tambuwal. 

But there are members of the coalition who are championing for an out right registration of new party. This group is led by the former minister of Transportation and former governor of Rivers state, Chibuike Amaechi, and is a position strongly supported by the League of Northern Democrats, a new critical coalition of northern political elites, where they would have foundational membership equality. In all these the Obi group seems too silent. 

Thisday gathered that LND’s strong advocacy for registration is because of certain key strategic considerations. In an interaction with the Convener of the LND, Dr. Umar Ardo, he argued that there’s an endemic strategic futility in the opposition fusing into an existing political party. He said: 

“• If the argument against registering a new political party is that “Nigeria’s incumbency factor” can stop it, then can’t same create same issues in fusing into an existing party? How many of the zones, states, local governments and wards organs of the party has the opposition agreed with. As the ADC Adamawa chairman said, his election in Zaria as state chairman in December 2022 remains sacrosanct till December 2026. If the incumbency needs to cause problems, which the opposition agrees it is wont to do, then it has six zones, 36 states + FCT, 774 local governments, and God knows how many wards to play with. In this case, it is safer to register its own political party, which it has the time to do. 

 “• The Kwankwaso/NNPP experience is also there so fresh to be learned from. It is likely before nominations are conducted, war will break out between first new members and old members on the issue of leadership; and second between the ambitious newcomers on the issue of candidacy. 

   • Most of those from the APC and PDP that are unhappy with their parties, but are independents party members, not necessarily supporters of candidates, but with their own interests, aspirations and ambitions, but feel reluctant to go fuse into a smaller party dominated by candidates and their supporters. There are thousands in this category that the opposition will miss out.

• It’s therefore best to avoid these disadvantages that are more latent in fusing into an old party than in registering a new one.

 • If the opposition politics is not merely about grabbing power, without ideological content, then fusing into an existing party at all maybe understandable, but if it’s about bringing about a total and complete change to the current societal drift with a new political ideology, then registering a new political party which holds this ideal as its guide is the way to go. The choice is for the opposition to make as Nigerians watched them keenly.”

According to Ardo, "experience is the best teacher. We are all living to what happened and therefore there is the need to err on the side of caution.”

Ardo suggested that the Plan A is to go for registering a new party, and underground transactions with an existing party remains Plan B. In NDA, the military calls it in planning parades as Wet weather Alternative. You plan the parade as if it won’t rain, but behind you have a small hall for the parade in case it rains”. But adopting both options, as others are suggesting won’t work because both would mutually diffuse the impetus of one another. From the moment an existing political party is announced adopted there will be no need for registering another new party.