By Rafiyat Sadiq
The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised the recently formed opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing its members of lacking ideological direction and being driven solely by animosity toward the president.
Onanuga made the remarks in a statement shared via his X handle on Thursday, a day after the coalition formally adopted the ADC as its political platform for the 2027 general elections.
The coalition includes prominent political figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
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Describing the coalition as a group of “desperados”, Onanuga said many of its members are former All Progressives Congress (APC) politicians who either left the party long ago or were expelled.
“Some members of the hijacked ADC, who were reported as members of the APC, left the APC years and months ago. Let the public not be deceived by the opposition’s narrative about their relevance or whether the APC will mourn their departure,” he said.
Onanuga specifically mentioned Rotimi Amaechi, former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, ex-Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as individuals who have distanced themselves from the APC.
He also cited Kashim Imam and former APC National Chairman John Odigie Oyegun as figures seeking renewed political relevance.
He cautioned Nigerians against aligning with the coalition, saying, “A political party with no clear agenda or ideology whose members are united only by their hatred for President Tinubu cannot be good for our country. It will only set us back by decades.”
According to Onanuga, the coalition is held together by personal ambitions rather than national interest.
He said, “These politicians are desperados, hungry for power, not for the benefit of Nigerians but for themselves. They want power at all costs because they cannot endure another four years in the political wilderness or be banished to political winter and irrelevance.”
He predicted the group’s eventual collapse, citing internal divisions and conflicting ambitions.
“What is certain is that the group will soon unravel due to their irreconcilable personal ambitions,” he stated.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.