ADC Coalition Dead On Arrival, Says Ex-IPAC Chairman

A former chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Barrister John Nwobodo, has described the  ADC platform to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 as dead on arrival.

He claimed that there was no time in Nigeria’s democratic experience that the opposition is fractured and fragmented than now, adding that there was no foresight in the coalition.

Nwobodo, a protem chairman of ‘I Love Nigeria’, a political association that has already been shortlisted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as a political party, stated this in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP in Enugu.

He said the coalition would have to contend with the desperation of some of the lead promoters to emerge as presidential flag bearer.

Nwobodo, a former governorship candidate in Enugu State, averred that in words and in action the promoters are not actuated by higher ideals of patriotism but political calculations projected to serve selfish and clandestine political interests.

“Without mincing words, the coalition is dead on arrival. First, the coalition would have to contend with the desperation of some of the lead promoters to emerge as the presidential flag bearer.

“Both in words and in action,  the promoters are not actuated by higher ideals of patriotism but political calculations projected to serve selfish and clandestine political interests.

“Among the leaders,  some are one leg in and one leg out. For example,  Peter Obi, though he announced that he is part of the coalition but he remains a member of the Labour Party. It is doubtful if he would remain part of a coalition that would scheme him out of the presidential race.

“Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is determined to run for presidency despite the unwritten but strong policy of rotation. The force of the coalition is not anywhere near the combined strength of the APC and the PDP, both of which appear to be in partnership.

‘There is no time in our country’s democratic experience that the opposition is badly fractured and fragmented than now. These apart, there is no foresight in the coalition.

“My candid observation is that the coalition’s membership and their net worth and network combined do not measure up to the spread, capacity, net worth, and network of the APC” he stated.