Barr. Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, has dismissed the newly unveiled opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing it as nothing more than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “in disguise”.
In a post on X, Keyamo said the coalition is largely made up of disgruntled PDP members who have lost influence within the party and are now attempting to regroup under a new platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He wrote: “What happened earlier today with the movement of the so-called ‘coalition’ into the ADC is the greatest factor that has strengthened the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The emergence of ADC as presently constituted marks the formal dismemberment of the PDP, hitherto Nigeria’s strongest opposition party.”
He said the gathering was filled with “former this” and “former that” from the PDP, accusing former vice-president Atiku Abubakar of using the coalition as a vehicle to secure another shot at the presidency.
“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 said.
Keyamo also argued that the coalition poses no real threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming that any APC members who joined the group had either worked against President Bola Tinubu in 2023 or lost their constituencies.
“Their movement therefore takes NOTHING away from the APC. It is actually better for the APC because it is just a case of totally extracting the germ that was eating the cola nut from within,” he said.
He warned that Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, may be used by the coalition to attract votes without being offered the presidential ticket.
“They want his votes, but don’t want to give him their presidential ticket, because this is Atiku’s show simpliciter,” Keyamo added.
He concluded that the coalition weakens the PDP and the Labour Party, while the APC remains unaffected.