By Abdul Lauya
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga has dismissed the recent defection of high-profile politicians to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), branding them as politically irrelevant and opportunistic figures with long-standing estrangement from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a strongly worded statement released Wednesday, Onanuga accused the new opposition coalition of lacking ideological cohesion and being driven solely by “hatred” for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Among those he singled out were former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, ex-Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Onanuga asserted that these politicians had either quietly distanced themselves from the APC or had been effectively expelled from the party before their formal alignment with the ADC.
“Amaechi’s soul left the APC in 2022 after losing the presidential primary,” he wrote. “Malami has shown no loyalty since he failed in his Kebbi governorship ambition. Aregbesola committed anti-party acts. Sirika is under trial. These are not losses to mourn.”
The presidential aide also took aim at elder statesmen such as Kashim Imam and Chief John Odigie Oyegun, labeling them “disgruntled politicians” whose ambitions were thwarted within the APC. According to Onanuga, their involvement in the ADC reflects a desperate attempt to reclaim political relevance.
Political observers, however, note that the growing coalition under the ADC banner, even with its ideological contradictions, has begun to unsettle the ruling party. The recent flurry of alignments and defections comes amid public discontent over economic hardship and growing insecurity, issues that have somewhat dented Tinubu’s approval ratings.
Analysts caution against wholesale dismissal of the opposition bloc. While Onanuga’s points about some members’ personal grievances may be accurate, the broader implication, that their coalition lacks any political weight, could be premature.
The history of Nigerian politics shows that even strange bedfellows can forge potent electoral alliances, especially when public sentiment swings against the incumbent.
Whether the ADC-led coalition can translate its high-profile recruits into a viable national challenge remains to be seen. But what is clear is that its emergence has forced the APC into defensive mode, an indication that, regardless of their past affiliations, the defectors are causing a stir the ruling party cannot ignore.
