I Initiated ADC Coalition Talks Because PDP Had No Future — Atiku

Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has said that he played a leading role in initiating the current opposition coalition on the platform of theAfrican Democratic Congress (ADC), given the state of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday evening, Atiku said his push for a coalition dates back to the aftermath of the 2023 general election, when he addressed party members on the need for a new political strategy.

“To be frank with you, I am one of the key initiators of this coalition. When PDP lost the last election, I addressed the party and I told them I do not see a future for PDP without coalition,” he said.

The former PDP presidential candidate noted that his position was initially rejected by members of the party, despite what he described as a clear understanding of Nigeria’s political evolution.

“And they disagreed with me at that time. I have studied the political succession of Nigeria and I saw how alliances happened at that time, so it was not difficult to predict,” he stated.

Atiku added that his advocacy for coalition politics was also driven by his belief in the emergence of a new generation of leaders, whom he considered critical to Nigeria’s future.

“Because I saw some of these young politicians as the future leaders of Nigeria, so it is my responsibility to point it out to them,” he said.

He, however, attributed the resistance he faced within the party to personal sentiments rather than ideological differences.

“And they disagreed with me, and the reason why they disagreed with me was simply because they did not want to see my face, not because of what I was proposing,” Atiku said.

According to the 2027 presidential hopeful, recent political developments have validated his earlier position on the need for alliances.

“And now they have found themselves in that position,” Atiku added.