A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has described the proposed registration of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) as a positive step that could ultimately benefit President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term in 2027.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday, Okechukwu called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant approval to the National Opposition Coalition Group’s request to register ADA.
The application was contained in a letter dated June 19, signed by the group’s Protem National Chairman, Chief Akin A. Rickets, and Secretary, Abdullahi Elayo.
The ADA is speculated to be a platform under consideration by key opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, to challenge the ruling APC in the next general elections.
However, Okechukwu, a former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), welcomed the development, emphasizing his support for a vibrant multiparty system that encourages wider political participation.
“My take on the formation of the All Democratic Alliance is that it is a welcome development. I am an apostle of a multiparty system which allows all the flowers to blossom and all the voices to be heard,” he said.
Okechukwu argued that rather than weaken the APC, the emergence of ADA may inadvertently consolidate support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He dismissed assumptions that the northern electorate would automatically align with any northern candidate, stressing that voters in the region are politically sophisticated.
He also refuted claims that the North feels alienated under the Tinubu administration, pointing to ongoing development initiatives and structural reforms, such as the establishment of regional development commissions and efforts toward local government autonomy.
Addressing concerns about power rotation, Okechukwu criticized what he described as “fraudulent calculations” by ADA proponents who argue that the South would have held power for 17 years by 2027, compared to the North’s 11 years.
“Such analysis ignores the broader historical context. The North has presided over Nigeria for more years since independence than the South.
That was the very reason for the rotational presidency arrangement instituted in 1999,” he stated.
On the possibility of ADA fielding a southern presidential candidate, Okechukwu expressed doubts about the opposition’s ability to form a united front, citing what he described as their “huge appetite for power” and challenges in uniting various political blocs across PDP, APGA, NNPP, and the Labour Party.
