Many have said the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the new coalition bride on Nigeria ‘s political firmament had a stellar debut on Wednesday, but not so for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Like it’s protagonists have done in the last 24 hours, it has officially taken the coalition to the cleaners.
Felix Morka, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, has ridiculed the unveiling of the AD) as the new opposition coalition, calling it a disappointing spectacle devoid of substance.
Speaking on the event held Wednesday Morka said the much-publicized coalition launched with a “gasping whimper, not the promised roar,” describing it as a gathering of “hoaxers and power-hungry elites” whose primary motivation is personal political survival.
“This coalition is nothing more than a congregation of self-interested political actors — individuals who equate their personal ambitions with the national interest and who are desperate to reclaim access to power and patronage,” he stated.
Morka harshly criticized the keynote speech delivered by Senator David Mark, the ADC’s newly announced interim National Chairman, calling it “hollow and aimless” and filled with “regurgitated lies and baseless accusations” against the APC-led administration.
“Mark offered no vision, no alternative policies, no ideological grounding. Just empty rhetoric and a desperate cry for relevance,” Morka added.
According to Morka, the ADC-led coalition failed to present any coherent strategy or plan to improve upon the Tinubu administration’s bold economic and governance reforms. He accused the group of ignoring the government’s achievements, including:
• A rebound in GDP growth to 3.4%
• Foreign reserves rising from $4 billion in 2023 to over $24 billion in 2024
• A reduction in debt-service-to-revenue ratio from 99% to 40%
• A decline in inflation from 31% in 2024 to 22% in 2025
• Stronger agricultural earnings and falling prices of basic goods
• Record oil exports, increased trade surpluses, and stable forex markets
• Expansion of student loans, academic stability, infrastructure growth, and social investment programs
Morka concluded that while the ADC coalition “throws mud and bricks,” President Tinubu and the APC remain focused on using those bricks to build a stronger nation.
In contrast, the ADC event held in Abuja attracted a lineup of prominent politicians, signaling an ambitious attempt to create a unified opposition ahead of the 2027 elections. High-profile defectors from the PDP, Labour Party, and even the APC were present, including:
• Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
• 2023 LP presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed
• Former Ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Abubakar Malami, and Bolaji Abdullahi
• Former Governors Nasir El-Rufai, Aminu Tambuwal, Liyel Imoke, Gabriel Suswam, and others
• Former APC National Chairman John Oyegun
• Former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar
• Notable figures like Dino Melaye, Ireti Kingibe, Dele Momodu, Babachir Lawal, and Celestine Omehia
Senator David Mark, now the interim National Chairman, described the coalition as “a platform for rebuilding democracy” and preventing Nigeria’s descent into a one-party state. He emphasized that the coalition’s mission went beyond power politics.
“We aim to build a party rooted in democratic values, inclusion, transparency, and performance — a big tent for all patriots,” he declared.
He portrayed the ADC as a platform embracing experience and youthful energy, offering an ideological alternative built on unity, rule of law, justice, and competence.
Despite the high-profile endorsements, internal rifts have already surfaced. Musa Matara, who identified himself as the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, publicly rejected the appointment of Rauf Aregbesola as interim National Secretary.
Matara criticized the process as undemocratic and lacking transparency:
“Who appointed Aregbesola? Was the NEC consulted? Were the party’s grassroots structures involved? The answer is no. This appointment is null and void.”
He warned that the ADC was not a personal property to be hijacked by elite power-brokers and expressed concern over attempts to merge the party into the broader National Opposition Coalition without consensus.
“ADC is not for sale. Our members have not endorsed any coalition, and the party is still grappling with unresolved legal issues from the 2023 elections,” Matara added.
He called for due process and cautioned that a forced political alliance on a shaky legal foundation could be both irresponsible and self-defeating.
As the ADC tries to reinvent itself as the nucleus of a new opposition movement, it faces not only external criticism from the APC but also internal resistance over leadership legitimacy and process. While the coalition may have attracted big political names, its ability to present a coherent alternative and unify disparate interests remains uncertain.
