Wednesday July 02, 2025
By Idorenyin UMOREN, Uyo
Prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the North has endorsed the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as the preferred platform for the proposed Coalition Group.
This happened after weeks of deliberation among northern opposition politicians over aligning with an existing party or awaiting the registration of a new one ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The initial plan, The GUARDIAN reported, was for the various groups to split into three parties until February 2026, when it is expected that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will release the notice for the election.
Last Saturday, former Sokoto State governor and Senator representing Sokoto Central, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, held a consultative meeting with PDP stakeholders, during which the pros and cons of joining either of the two coalition platforms—ADC and All Democratic Alliance, ADA—were discussed.
In attendance were prominent PDP chieftains, including the party’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, and the state chairman, Aliyu Goronyo.
This was just as their contemporaries in neighbouring Kebbi State declared the need for the North-West geopolitical zone to go into any of the parties as a bloc, stressing that the impact of the zone could be better felt by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, if the zone speaks with one voice.
Kebbi State chairman, Dr Ibrahim Mera, had noted that only a united political front could rescue Nigeria from the misgovernance of the APC, adding that the state was fully committed to building a strong platform from the bottom up.
However, addressing some journalists in Abuja yesterday, the flag bearer of ADC for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Anambra State, Mr John Chuma Nwosu, disclosed that ADC has been chosen as the platform of choice.
He dismissed suggestions in some quarters that the application for the registration of the All Democratic Alliance has vitiated the coalition’s move to pool political forces together under one umbrella.
On why ADC and not ADA was chosen, Nwosu disclosed that while ADA was a party in search of recognition, “ADC was ready, tested and trusted as an existing political party that has been widely acknowledged in almost all the geopolitical zones of the country.
“ADC has been a long-established and nationally recognised party. It has never been deregistered. It’s a party in good standing, and it has always fielded credible candidates at the national and state levels.
“Quite on the contrary, ADA is an attempt to register an entirely new party. The ADA’s application, if I recall correctly, is one out of well over 100 applications still pending before INEC. ADA will have to cross the high hurdles of registration to get to where the ADC is currently,” he added.
On the change of leadership within the ADC, the governorship hopeful noted that, since politics is dynamic, leadership changes are routine, as long as they conform to established norms, stressing that the interests of the coalition are best served by new leadership, The GUARDIAN reported.
“As you are aware, ADC will soon be announced as the coalition party at the national level. We are amenable to joining forces. Anambra will be the first test case, the ground zero for ADC and the coalition partners to test their collective resolve. We will welcome those who have joined or who may wish to join the coalition under ADC,” Nwosu declared.
But, speaking after “a strategic meeting” on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, PDP heavyweights, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President David Alechenu Mark, urged Nigerian politicians to unite to rescue the country.
At the meeting, held under the banner of ‘Concerned Leaders of the PDP,’ the leaders noted that the PDP’s current state, amid the worsening national condition under the APC, demanded urgent and bold action.
Dignitaries at the high-level gathering, presided over by former Senate President David Mark, included former PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus; former governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi).
Others present were Senator Ben Obi, Josephine Anenih, Senator Austin Akobundu, Kola Ologbondiyan, and Abdullahi Maibasira.
In a communiqué read by Mark, the group expressed deep concern over the PDP’s decline since the 2023 presidential election and the resignation of former National Chairman Dr Iyorchia Ayu. They warned that internal divisions and external suppression by the APC have weakened the PDP’s capacity to function as a credible opposition.
He stated, “Our dear party has never been the same again,” the leaders lamented. “The vision of the founding fathers has been eroded, and the APC-led federal government is using state institutions to stifle opposition and destroy democracy.”
The chieftains noted that Nigeria, under the APC, is facing a severe collapse of governance, economic hardship, insecurity, and growing international embarrassment. They described the ruling party as a “disaster to our nation” and insisted that it must be voted out to rescue Nigeria.
They therefore called on all loyal PDP members and progressive Nigerians to join forces in a broad-based political coalition committed to national unity, democratic governance, economic revival, and the fight against corruption.
“The PDP, with its organic structure, capacity, and history, remains the most credible platform to lead this charge,” the communiqué stated. “However, it must be rebuilt through unity and strategic alliances with other pro-democracy forces.”
