The Presidency has dismissed the adoption of the African Democratic Congress by the opposition coalition, insisting that they cannot replicate the events that brought the All Progressives Congress to power in the 2015 general elections.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Sunday Dare, described the new coalition as fundamentally different from the 2013 APC merger, which he said was propelled by selflessness and national interest. He branded the latest alliance an opportunistic arrangement led by a politically isolated figure driven by personal ambition, lacking a unifying leader or any compelling national cause.
He also described the chief promoter of the coalition as a serial election loser, desperate to seize what he considers his final opportunity to run for the presidency.
Dare wrote: “The promoters of the new coalition like to draw parallels with what the APC achieved in 2013. But let’s be clear: this is not 2013—and this is not the APC.
“In 2013, the merger that birthed the APC was driven by selflessness, national interest, and strategic discipline. The leaders at the time were willing to set aside personal ambitions for the greater good. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite commanding the loyalty of several sitting governors, chose to wait. He bided his time, played the long game, and focused on building a viable political platform. He had never lost an election, and he didn’t have to force his way in.
“Now contrast that with today’s coalition. The chief promoter is a serial election loser, clutching at what he clearly sees as his last shot at the presidency. Unlike Tinubu, he enters the coalition alone—without the backing of his state governor, his region, or any meaningful political structure. His ambition is personal, not patriotic. So also that of his many co-travelers.
“In 2013, the APC had a rallying figure in Muhammadu Buhari—a man seen as a symbol of integrity, and a national unifier with cult-like grassroots appeal. Today, no one in this coalition commands that kind of loyalty or trust. Not one of them could genuinely unite a ward, let alone a country. No one comes close to parading the democratic credentials of President Bola Tinubu.
“Most importantly, the APC coalition emerged to address real grievances: the constitutional denial of power to a region that had been unfairly sidelined and to end the 16 years of ruinous governance by the PDP. It was a coalition grounded in justice and balance.
“This new coalition? It’s purely opportunistic. The presidency already rests with the region rightfully due. And that’s where it will be till 2031. Heads up for Nigerians about ADC – There is no injustice to redress—only avarice ambition to satisfy,” he wrote.
