Former Osun State Governor Iyiola Omisore has cast doubt on the effectiveness of a newly formed opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggesting its members are more interested in personal presidential ambitions than unity against President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on July 16, 2025, during a political roundtable, Omisore, a key APC figure, pointed to the coalition’s inclusion of heavyweights like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, both of whom contested in 2023, as evidence of internal rivalry. He argued that their competing egos could fracture the alliance, which aims to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid endorsed by the APC in May 2025.
The coalition, launched on July 2, 2025, has attracted over ten parties, including defectors from the PDP and Labour Party, but Omisore highlighted logistical challenges, such as agreeing on a single candidate, as potential pitfalls. He noted that past coalitions, like the one that birthed the APC in 2015, succeeded due to a clear strategy, which he claims is absent here.
ADC interim chairman David Mark countered that the group’s focus is on democratic renewal, not individual gain, though internal tensions were evident when 2023 ADC candidate Dumebi Kachikwu criticized the move as a “hijacking.” The skepticism has fueled speculation about the coalition’s cohesion, with political analysts suggesting it may struggle to unify Nigeria’s diverse electorate by 2027.