The All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition is trying to mimic the successful 2013 merger that birthed the ruling party.
Dismissing the coalition, the APC insisted that the current alliance could not be compared to a strategic political merger that took place in 2013, when the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, led by Bola Tinubu, late Muhammadu Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change, Atiku Abubakar’s New PDP, and others came together to form the APC.
The APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Ijeoma Arodiogbu, in an interview with Punch, described the alliance as “a coalition of strange bedfellows” lacking the depth, structure, and strategy that propelled APC to power over a decade ago.
“Why should we be worried about people moving to the ADC? Tell me, who are these people? Unless APC governors, lawmakers, or our major leaders are defecting, there’s nothing to be worried about,” he said.
He argued that the strength of the 2013 merger lay in Tinubu’s years of political mentorship and strategic alliance-building, backed by Buhari’s northern mass appeal of over 12 million loyal voters.
In contrast, he said, the ADC was merely cobbling together discontented politicians with no ideological alignment or electoral base.
“They’re just trying to copy what we did. Tinubu built and nurtured people across the country. He attracted governors and lawmakers because of his reputation and foresight. What they’re doing now is not strategic, it’s just desperation to hijack power,” Arodiogbu said.
He continued, “Most of those moving to the ADC are internally displaced politicians from the PDP and Labour Party who couldn’t find relevance in their former platforms.
“The APC, on the other hand, is gaining more lawmakers and governors by the day. Even on the floor of parliament, more people are openly declaring for us.”
The APC chieftain also took a swipe at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting that his alignment with the ADC stemmed from personal frustrations over not being accommodated in Tinubu’s cabinet.
He said, “Should we even be talking about people like El-Rufai? His only grievance is that he didn’t get a ministerial slot. That’s not ideology, that’s entitlement. Aside from him, who else in that coalition is worth our attention?”
Arodiogbu further highlighted Tinubu’s economic vision and reform agenda, stressing that the President remained committed to correcting past excesses and securing Nigeria’s financial future.
“When President Tinubu assumed office, he made it clear that we can’t continue with the old ways. He’s focused on eliminating leakages and waste. That’s the difference between us and those masquerading as an alternative,” he noted.