By Sunday Apah
Festus Keyamo, SAN, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has characterized the influx of prominent opposition figures into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a move that considerably boosts the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
Keyamo stated, “Today’s formation of the so-called coalition within the ADC is a pivotal development that has reinforced the APC’s position ahead of the upcoming elections,” in a statement released on Wednesday.
He contended that this public realignment with the ADC signifies a notable departure from their original political parties, cautioning that such cross-party affiliations contravene constitutional provisions.
“Legally, individuals cannot simultaneously belong to multiple political parties,” he asserted. “Thus, it is fair to interpret their explicit endorsement of the ADC as a clear renunciation of their former parties. Indeed, membership in two political parties can lead to disqualification in elections.”
Keyamo remarked that the ADC’s transformation signifies “the official fragmentation of the PDP,” which he referred to as “previously Nigeria’s most formidable opposition party.”
He claimed that the older members of the PDP, who have evidently lost influence within the party, have been displaced by a younger generation. “This gathering today predominantly consists of ‘former’ officials from the PDP. In essence, this is merely Atiku’s faction of the PDP, desperately seeking the presidential ticket for 2027—nothing more, nothing less.”
He diminished the coalition’s potential impact on the APC, asserting that it poses no genuine threat to the ruling party. “The coalition also includes a few APC members who opposed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the last elections, along with one or two APC leaders who lost their seats to opposition candidates in 2023. Therefore, this movement does not detract from the APC. In fact, it can be viewed as a beneficial purge of those who were undermining the party from within.”
Speaking about the Labour Party’s candidate from the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, Keyamo cautioned that the coalition might be exploiting the former Anambra governor without a legitimate plan to award him the party’s presidential nomination.
“The old political elites aim to manipulate Peter Obi in this scenario. They desire his support without offering him the presidential ticket, as this is primarily Atiku’s agenda,” he claimed.
He continued, “If Peter Obi is not granted the presidential nomination, he will lose his supporters. It’s as straightforward as that. How can you expect someone who performed well in two regions during the last election—South-East and South-South—to take a subordinate role to someone who only won one region—North-East?”
Keyamo concluded by stating that the opposition has diminished since 2023, while the APC is gaining strength. “Ultimately, it will become clear that the PDP and Labour Party have lost ground, while the ADC has achieved only a superficial gain, with the APC remaining unaffected,” he noted. “Since the last elections, the APC has fortified its position, while the opposition has fragmented and weakened.”
He urged a focus on governance, stating, “At this juncture, it’s crucial to concentrate on governance while letting them exercise their constitutional rights to associate and gather.”
