Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has raised alarm over what he describes as a “calculated political ambush” targeted at Labour Party’s Peter Obi by opposition elements rallying under the newly unveiled African Democratic Congress (ADC). Keyamo claims the coalition — fronted by Atiku Abubakar — is setting Obi up for betrayal while disguising as a united opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and prominent APC figure, made his remarks in a fiery post shared via X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, July 3, just a day after opposition leaders announced their defection into the ADC at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
He accused Atiku and his loyalists of manipulating Peter Obi’s popularity without any genuine intention of offering him the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
“They want his votes but won’t give him their presidential ticket. This is Atiku’s show, nothing more, nothing less,”
Keyamo wrote, adding that the appointment of David Mark as interim ADC chairman was enough evidence that Atiku is pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
Keyamo: ADC Coalition Spells the End of PDP
According to the Aviation Minister, the official unveiling of ADC by major opposition players is nothing short of a public dismemberment of the PDP, which he called “a shadow of its former self.”
“The emergence of the ADC, as presently constituted, marks the formal dismemberment of the PDP, which used to be Nigeria’s strongest opposition party,” he said.
Keyamo added that the movement, though disguised as a coalition, is technically illegal under the current electoral framework, as one cannot simultaneously belong to multiple political parties.
“Obsolete Politicians Trying to Revive Careers” – Keyamo
In a strongly worded attack, Keyamo described the coalition members as a conglomerate of ‘former this’ and ‘former that’, with no real political threat to the APC.
“These are mostly disgruntled PDP powerbrokers trying to claw their way back to relevance, and a few APC defectors who either worked against Tinubu in 2023 or lost their political strongholds,”
he said.
He further insisted that while the PDP and LP may have sacrificed credibility, the APC has lost nothing, stressing that President Tinubu’s party is now even stronger than it was during the 2023 general election.
Dismisses Threat to APC
Keyamo shrugged off the coalition’s attempt to present itself as a serious alternative, maintaining that the APC is not in any way threatened.
“PDP and the Labour Party have lost something, ADC has only gained a caricature, but the APC has lost absolutely nothing,”
he declared.
He called on Nigerians to focus less on political drama and more on governance, noting that everyone has a right to assemble and associate freely under the constitution.
“Let them gather. We are not threatened. We will face governance and let the people decide when the time comes.”
As the newly formed ADC attempts to build momentum heading into 2027, questions remain over who will emerge as its flagbearer — Atiku, Obi, or a third force. But if Keyamo’s warnings are anything to go by, the real battle may not be between opposition and ruling party, but among opposition blocs themselves. The drama is just beginning.
