the opposition, will give Nigerians the opportunity to have an alternative by voting out any non-performing government, just like it is done in the United States with the Republican and Democratic parties and the Conservative and Labour parties in the United Kingdom. The best election ever conducted in Nigeria’s history, the June 12 presidential election was held at a time Nigeria had just two political parties – the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC).[/b]
It is expected that the ruling APC and its appointees will not fold their hands and allow the opposition to kick them out of office. If they have been taking Nigerians for granted, maybe this will make them change their ways and do their utmost in delivering the gains of democracy to Nigerians. I implore the federal government not to do anything to harass, intimidate or terrorise the leaders of the ADC with security or anti-graft agencies. Aregbesola left office, first as governor in 2018 and then as minister in 2023. I don’t want to hear now that the EFCC or ICPC want to probe him or investigate any petition written by some unscrupulous elements. Any probe or arrest of the coalition leaders now will be seen as victimisation by Nigerians and may give them sympathy votes in the forthcoming general elections.
President Tinubu should also strive his best to ensure any appointee by him to replace outgoing INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, is a credible person, a man of exemplary moral rectitude who will be an unbiased umpire and one who will insist on conducting a free, fair and credible election that will surpass the record set by the June 12, 1993 presidential election. I remembered former President Goodluck Jonathan was under tremendous pressure to appoint a party man, especially from the southern part of the country, as INEC chairman. He, however, went for a technocrat and appointed a northerner, Prof. Attahiru Jega, a vocal and ubiquitous former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in June 2010. Jonathan lost the election, but many Nigerians were satisfied with the election conducted by Jega. I’m not sure that can be said of the outgoing INEC chairman.
Lastly, the coalition leaders have started on the right footing by adopting ADC as the political party to slug it out with the APC in 2027. I listened to an analyst rubbishing them for not forming a new political party but adopting an existing one. What difference does it make? The hood does not make the monk. What is the gain if you form a new political party like ‘ADA’ and there are no notable personalities in the party?
The next hurdle to cross is to determine the region to produce their presidential flagbearer. Being an amalgamation of diverse interests, disagreements will occur, but they should strive their best to manage their affairs well and not give the APC any reason to mock them. Also, the agenda should not be about power grabbing or uniting to get Tinubu out at all costs, but to provide a better alternative in terms of good governance to Nigerians.
The stakeholders, especially those nursing presidential ambitions, should bury their selfish interests and put the party and the country first. They should also be democratic in all their dealings and, above all, avoid fifth columnists who will infiltrate the party to leak their secrets to the opposing camp. Once again, congratulations to the coalition leaders on achieving this feat despite many challenges. Let the battle begin
