The Federal Government has acknowledged the rising support for the emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the political momentum as “understandable” amid growing media discourse.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the admission on Tuesday in a statement.
“The clamour in the media about the emergence of a new political ‘coalition’ is understandable,” Idris stated.
His remarks come in the wake of last Wednesday’s formal unveiling of a new opposition alliance which adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its official platform for the 2027 elections.
The coalition, made up of leading opposition figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, has already triggered high-profile defections—including from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—to the ADC.
The coalition has also constituted an interim leadership for the ADC, naming former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman, former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, and former Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi as National Publicity Secretary.
Despite the growing political realignment, the Presidency insists it will not be distracted from its “bold and transformative mandate.”
“Even as we affirm the right of all Nigerians to freely exercise their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of association and of speech, it is also important to underscore that President Tinubu’s administration will not be sidetracked by politicking or political distractions,” the Information Minister said.
Idris highlighted key milestones recorded by the Tinubu administration in its first two years, asserting that tangible results are emerging from its reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“In just two years, this vision has already begun yielding tangible results. Crude oil theft has plummeted, investor confidence in the oil and gas sector is rebounding, inflation is easing, the Naira is stabilizing, security challenges are being confronted head-on,” he said.
He further pointed to several social and economic initiatives, including the launch of student loans, access to consumer credit, CNG vehicle conversions, and infrastructure upgrades. Idris added that millions of Nigerians across various sectors are already benefitting from these interventions.
He also cited the recent signing of four landmark tax reform bills, expected to take effect in 2026, describing it as “one of the most ambitious fiscal overhauls in Nigeria’s history.”
“Just before then, the President commissioned the single largest mechanisation drive ever undertaken in Nigeria’s history—marking the launch of the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme,” Idris said, noting that it is part of broader efforts to secure food supply.
While acknowledging the political shifts, the minister accused opposition actors of attempting to distract from the administration’s progress.
“Not surprisingly, emerging coalitions and opposition political groupings do not want a sustained focus on the progress Nigeria is making,” he said.
“The administration, however, refuses to be drawn into distractions engineered by those who would prefer stagnation over reform.”
