Chief Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine, has said that opposition politicians who have now taken control of the African Democratic Congress have reached an understanding that internal struggles for power will not be allowed to destroy their new coalition.
Momodu made this known on Wednesday while speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time. He expressed his delight at the formal launch of the coalition, stressing that the opposition figures within the ADC are determined to dislodge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The coalition, spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, was unveiled with significant attendance from prominent political figures. Among those present were the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi; former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; former Senate President, David Mark; former National Chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun; former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Also in attendance were former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke; Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed; as well as politicians like Dino Melaye, Elisha Abbo, and numerous others who joined the coalition from the Peoples Democratic Party, APC, and Labour Party.
During his appearance on the programme, Momodu noted that these coalition politicians are putting the interest of Nigeria above their personal ambitions.
When asked whether key political offices had already been allocated among top members of the coalition, Momodu dismissed the notion, explaining that although coalition members are aware of what might eventually play out, they have pledged not to allow it to sow division among them.
“I believe that, in principle, they know what is likely to happen, and they’ve decided they’ve promised that they will not allow that to divide them, right. That for me is joyful. I’m excited,” he said.
Momodu further pointed out that the politicians operating under the ADC are not there merely to grab power for selfish reasons.
Meanwhile, Dumebi Kachikwu, who was the ADC’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has openly rejected the adoption of his party as a platform by the coalition of opposition politicians. Kachikwu described those now taking over the ADC as “enemies of Nigeria.”
