Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has described the defection of prominent opposition figures to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a turning point that signifies the collapse of the once-dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Keyamo made this assertion in response to the formal unveiling of the ADC as the platform for a new opposition coalition, which aims to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. The coalition launch, held on Wednesday, brought together political heavyweights from the PDP, Labour Party (LP), and even some disaffected members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Keyamo, the public declaration of support for the ADC effectively nullifies previous political affiliations, as the law prohibits simultaneous membership in multiple parties.
“The emergence of ADC as presently constituted marks the formal dismemberment of the PDP, hitherto Nigeria’s strongest opposition party,” he said.
“Majority of the old guard in the PDP (who have apparently lost control of the Party) have been pushed out of the party by the younger Turks within the PDP. That is why the gathering today was a conglomerate of ‘former this’ and ‘former that’ of the PDP.”
He dismissed the coalition as little more than a repackaged attempt by a faction of the PDP to secure the 2027 presidential ticket for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“No matter how you look at it, this is just Atiku’s faction of PDP in desperate search for the 2027 presidential ticket — nothing more, nothing less,” he added.
On the involvement of certain APC members in the coalition, Keyamo downplayed any potential impact on the ruling party, arguing their exit may in fact be beneficial.
“Their movement takes nothing away from the APC; it is actually better for the party as it removes internal dissenters,” he stated.
“The other addition to the so-called ‘coalition’ is a sprinkling of APC members who actually worked against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the last election and one or two APC leaders who lost their constituencies to opposition parties in 2023.”
Keyamo also expressed skepticism about the coalition’s intentions toward Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. He suggested that Obi’s popularity, particularly in the South-East and South-South, was being exploited without genuine plans to offer him the presidential ticket.
“The person who the old, cunning guards want to take for a ride in all of this is Peter Obi. They want his votes, but don’t want to give him their Presidential ticket, because this is Atiku’s show simpliciter,” Keyamo said.
“That is why David Mark is the interim chairman. Those who know politics know what I am saying. But if you do not give Peter Obi the Presidential ticket, you lose his supporters.”
The coalition has appointed former Senate President David Mark as interim national chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary — a move that observers see as a significant step in the evolving political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
