The former Adamawa Senator, Elisha Abbo, has stated that the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) reflects the realities of modern Nigerian politics.
The ADC was formally unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja as the platform for a united opposition coalition, designed to consolidate various political interests in a bid to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to Vanguard, Abbo, a key figure in the newly unveiled opposition coalition, described the adoption of the ADC as a marriage of convenience.
“This is a gathering of politicians, and politics is a game of interests; personal, regional, and national. These diverse interests cannot be divorced from one another, but they will be harnessed,” he said.
Abbo noted that democratic principles would guide the coalition in selecting candidates for all elective positions, including the presidency.
“Ultimately, democratic principles will be applied in selecting and electing candidates for all positions. It’s important to remember that this is just an interim leadership structure. A national convention will follow the congresses, during which the party’s national executives will be elected,” he explained.
Addressing concerns about ideological differences within the coalition, Abbo dismissed them as unfounded, pointing to the APC’s formation in 2013 as precedent.
“This has happened before across Africa. Strange bedfellows have come together, united by national interests. The party in power today, the APC, was also a concoction of different political and personal interests. People from the PDP, ANPP, CPC, and ACN all came together to form the APC. That was also a marriage of convenience, and it brought them to the Villa.
“It is a marriage of convenience because, of course, any marriage must be convenient to succeed. Without convenience, a marriage cannot work. So, yes, it’s a marriage of convenience, but one driven by national interest,” he said.