Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouk Adamu, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will continue to disrupt the activities of the newly formed opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In an exclusive interview with Pinnacle Daily, the former two-term lawmaker said the move is in direct response to what he described as similar actions from the opposition against the ruling party.
The APC chieftain Hon. Adamu openly admitted that his party is actively working to destabilise the opposition coalition.
Aliyu’s revelation comes amid a flurry of behind-the-scenes political manoeuvres designed to tilt the balance of power long before ballots are cast.
At the centre of the storm is Ralph Nwosu, national leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who alleged that he was offered three ministerial slots in exchange for abandoning his drive to transform the ADC into a credible opposition platform. Nwosu claimed the offer was part of a wider strategy by the ruling party to suffocate opposition voices and steer Nigeria toward a one-party state.
The presidency quickly moved to douse the flames. Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, dismissed Nwosu’s claims as “false and unsubstantiated”, insisting no such offer was ever made.
But the denial has done little to quell suspicions. The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) entered the fray, issuing a fiery warning to both the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The forum accused the ruling party and the electoral umpire of deploying intimidation, inducement, infiltration, and underhand tactics to cripple opposition parties, warning that democracy itself was at risk. “Nigeria cannot survive without political pluralism,” the group declared.
Opposition In Disarray
Meanwhile, defections are weakening the opposition. Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno both dumped the PDP for the APC, followed by several lawmakers. The PDP’s crisis deepens, with mass defections threatening its relevance.
The Labour Party also faces its own share of the bargain. The Labour Party is mired in a messy leadership tussle between Julius Abure, Lamidi Apapa, and Nenadi Usman. A Supreme Court ruling that tossed the dispute back to the party has only fuelled rival interpretations.
Even the ADC, meant to be the nucleus of a new coalition, is not spared. In the midst of Ralph Nwosu’s allegation of bribery by the APC to destabilise his party, Deputy National Chairman Hon. Nafiu Bala proclaimed himself interim chairman, despite David Mark bearing the title of ADC’s interim chairman. The party’s only federal lawmaker, Leke Abejide, has already predicted the coalition’s collapse by September.
According to him, their failure in the August 16 by-elections, where APC swept 12 of 16 seats amid reports of thuggery, abductions, and vote-buying, was a brutal reminder of how fragile the opposition front has become.
While denying any formal conspiracy, the APC Chieftain Hon. Adamu revealed to Pinnacle Daily that the APC is closely monitoring the opposition for weaknesses and exploiting them.
“We keep looking at loopholes in their association or party, and we hit at that,” he said.
He, however, insisted the move was not sabotage but politics as usual. “Let them look for loopholes in our party too. This is politics,” he said, adding, “They are trying to deceive Nigerians that they are different from us. They are not. If they say we are bad, we are all bad together.”
APC’s Counter-Moves and Obi Factor
Hon. Aliyu further revealed that internal defections and elite realignments were part of a broader strategic effort by both sides to tilt the balance of power.
He cited the movement of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai into opposition circles and claimed the APC countered by welcoming Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State Governor, into their fold.
“That’s part of the antics,” he said. “The way they try to destroy us, we will try to destroy them.”
In a particularly striking admission, Adamu claimed that the APC had a hand in recent moves to push Labour Party’s Peter Obi out of the coalition.
“We are trying to push Peter Obi to leave the coalition and join the PDP, further dividing the house,” he said. “Yes, that’s also part of our handiwork. APC has a hand in it. Yes, we do.”
He named Obi, Atiku Abubakar, El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, and El-Rufai as key figures within the opposition ranks but cast doubt on their unity and numbers.
“What numbers are they talking about? APC is not afraid. But we are concerned,” he said. “That’s why we will not allow them to be in peace.”
He further stressed that while the politicians are well respected, they cannot be ignored.
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“Whether you say it in the open or you don’t. But I am telling you now as one of the APC stakeholders that we will keep putting sand inside their garri. Simple.”
“More so because they are trying to deceive Nigerians that they are different from us. They are not. If they say we are bad, we are all bad together,” he said.
He added, “All of them were part of our group in 2013, who came together to bring down Goodluck Jonathan. Every single one of them. So what’s really changed?
“It only shows how selfish the Nigerian elite can be. Once they don’t get what they want, they jump ship.
“If Nigerians believe that they are the better elite, so be it. But then let the masses remember that amongst us, amongst the union, there are people that have jumped so many parties. And they are back with us now.
“So which means any day that you don’t have food on your table, you just jump to the other party. While the masses are still there. “Wallowing”, he said.
The stakes are high. As political realignments continue and rivalries deepen, both ruling and opposition camps are preparing for what may become one of the most contentious election cycles in Nigeria’s recent history.
While Nigerians continue to face growing insecurity and economic hardship, political elites appear more focused on internal power games. Whether this contest will deliver genuine change or merely a reshuffle of the same old game, played by the same old hands, remains a question only time and the voters can answer.
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.
