LThe All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general election, urging its leaders to return to their original political parties rather than pursue what it described as an opportunistic alliance.
In a recent interview, APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, criticized the coalition’s initiative led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
He argued that the movement lacked genuine commitment to national interest and would ultimately fail.
“They are not forming any coalition, and if they are, President Tinubu is the grandmaster of coalitions,” Basiru said. “He is a chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, which was the mother of coalitions that helped remove the military from power. So, how can they use a coalition to challenge the grandmaster of coalitions? Our party is also well-versed in forming alliances.”
He further pointed to the APC’s political heritage as the first party to successfully merge major political blocs into a national congress. “We were the first party to form a congress made up of major political parties. Nigerians should be aware that the lies they told about winning the 2023 election are now coming to light,” he added.
Basiru advised opposition figures to return to their respective political bases, arguing that their continued movement across parties undermined credibility.
“If indeed they believe they won the 2023 election, why are they talking about a coalition for 2027? They should just go back to their political parties,” he said. “But the truth is that they lost the 2023 election, and by the grace of Almighty God, they will lose the 2027 election as well. President Tinubu of the APC will win.”
He described the new coalition as a self-serving project. “This so-called arrangement or coalition is not driven by love for Nigeria but by inordinate ambition and a sense of entitlement.”
The APC’s reaction comes in the wake of a major opposition meeting held Tuesday night in Abuja, where leaders of the coalition resolved to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their official platform for the 2027 elections.
The choice of ADC followed weeks of consultation among prominent opposition figures.
El-Rufai confirmed the meeting during an event in Kaduna on Wednesday.
“Yesterday at 8 p.m., there was a very important meeting of the coalition we are putting together to ensure that President Tinubu returns to Lagos in 2027. But we will keep the minister (referring to Bosun Tijjani, the minister of communications and digital economy) because he is doing well,” El-Rufai said.
The decision was also confirmed by Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe. “Yes, ADC has been agreed as the party. The coalition leaders have set up relevant committees and directed them to resolve grey areas in the arrangement and prepare for a public unveiling,” he stated.
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