…Wike, APC scared of opposition coalition — Atiku

By John Alechenu & Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — THE Anti-Tinubu coalition has taken a step forward in its bid to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Feelers from one of the leading coalition partners, the League of Northern Democrats, LND, revealed that it was championing the course to build a consensus around the registration of a new political party to be named All Democratic Alliance, ADA.

Recall that the LND had paid advocacy visits to some national figures like former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, (retd), former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. TY Danjuma (retd) among others to market its agenda.

It was during one of such visits that the former leaders suggested that the LND should extend its advocacy beyond the North because doing so was the only sure path to national unity.

The convener of the LND, Dr. Umar Ardo, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, in Abuja.

According to him, following the advocacy of former Head of State, Gowon and Obasanjo, the LND has aligned with like-minded individuals across Nigeria in pursuit of its agenda of bringing about a ballot box revolution to end APC’s misrule in 2027.

Ardo said: “Based on the advocacy of General Gowon, President Obasanjo, General Danjuma, and others, the LND has formally aligned with the National Opposition Coalition Movement led by Senator David Mark.

“In the coalition, the LND, along with other like-minded people, is championing the registration of a new political party as the best approach toward bringing the desired change in Nigeria – the change that was worked for in 2015, but failed to materialise.

“Already, a committee was set up by the National Coalition and has submitted its report recommending the registration of a new party, All Democratic Alliance, ADA. So, LND is very much on course.”

Reacting to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike’s remarks that the coalition is dead on arrival, Ardo advised Wike to “wait and see.”

He said: “Our response to the FCT Minister’s statement that the coalition is dead on arrival is simple – once the coalition leadership gets a consensus on the registration of ADA, then that decision marks the beginning of the end of the Tinubu regime in 2027.

“And as sure as God made the little apples, ADA will defeat APC in each and every zone of the federation in the presidential election. And this is a promise.

“We will show Wike that he has a very shallow understanding of Nigeria’s national politics.”

Wike, APC scared of opposition coalition — Atiku

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s camp has declared that the growing strength of Nigeria’s opposition coalition has triggered fear within the APC and its allies, including Wike.

Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, in a chat with Vanguard, accused the APC and its supporters of resorting to baseless attacks on the coalition out of panic over its potential end to their reign.

“They’re scared because they know the coalition represents a formidable platform that could remove this administration. Even if some leaders defect to their political party, the reality is that Nigerians are defecting to the coalition. It embodies their aspiration, a platform to end this failed government.

“The primary responsibility of any government is to protect lives and ensure the well-being of its people. If they can’t do that, why are they in power?. The value of human life in our country has hit an all-time low, especially under this administration.”

On the economic front, Ibe noted that many Nigerians struggle to afford food, school fees, and other basic needs.

He said: “When they claim things are improving, one has to ask: for whom? Certainly not for the common man.”

Responding to Wike’s recent comments describing the opposition coalition as ‘dead on arrival,’ Ibe attributed the remarks to personal bias and questioned Wike’s character and motivations.