President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, has described the emergence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led opposition coalition as a “healthy” step for Nigeria’s democracy, even as he cast doubt on its long-term potential.
Speaking to journalists after voting in Saturday’s Lagos State local government elections at Elizabeth Fowler Memorial Primary School, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives said the formation of a unified opposition is necessary to prevent Nigeria from sliding into one-party dominance.
“It is a welcome development,” Gbajabiamila said. “In every democracy, you must have some level of opposition; otherwise, we run the risk of becoming a one-party state.”
He added that such realignments are not new in Nigerian politics and could encourage broader participation in the country’s multiparty landscape. Yet, his support came with a caveat.
“For whatever the coalition is worth, I am not sure where it will go — that is, if it will go anywhere,” he remarked, suggesting doubts about the cohesion or longevity of the alliance.
The ADC-led coalition was formally launched earlier this month at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, with opposition leaders pledging to mount a credible challenge to President Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.
At the unveiling, the ADC’s long-standing national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, handed over the party’s membership card to former Senate President David Mark and ex-Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola — both of whom were introduced as the interim national chairman and national secretary of the newly realigned platform.
The coalition’s launch signals an attempt by opposition figures to regroup under a common banner, following years of fragmentation and electoral defeats. Whether the alliance can present a united front — and a convincing alternative to the APC — remains to be seen.
