By Okoi Obono-Obla
I read today on social media that the coalitionists, who have clearly reached a cul‑de‑sac and fallen into a legal quagmire, in desperation trooped en masse into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) without first studying its internal dynamics and constitution. They are now reportedly holding discussions with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) to adopt it as their new platform, having realized that the legal entanglements they have drawn themselves into are serious and cannot be disentangled within the next month—when they are expected to hold primary elections to nominate candidates for the 2027 general elections, which are less than twelve months away.
One would have expected that a serious opposition by now would be ready to start selling itself to the electorate, rather than scrambling for another platform after all the hype and vociferousness we have witnessed over the past fifteen months. The coalitionists are not ideologues; for them, anything goes as long as it leads to power. Otherwise, how could one explain their sudden interest in the PRP—a party with antecedents in the defunct Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), a leftist movement stridently opposed to the conservative and pro‑establishment Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), which was rooted in feudalism and northern irredentism during the First Republic? NEPU, under the leadership of Malam Aminu Kano, engaged in serious ideological battles with the NPC.
The PRP was resurrected in 1978 when the ban on politics was lifted by the military government, again under Malam Aminu Kano. It won two governorships in the old Kano and Kaduna States. In Kaduna, its flag bearer, Alhaji Balarabe Musa—a hard‑nosed radical and leftist—won the governorship but soon clashed with conservative forces, eventually leading to his impeachment. In 2004, Alhaji Musa fought a constitutional battle with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its stringent financial requirements for party registration. He won, forcing INEC to liberalize its conditions, which paved the way for the registration of several parties, including the PDP.
If Alhaji Musa were alive today, he would never have entertained dealings with the coalitionists on ideological grounds, let alone held talks with them about joining his party. Except the coalitionists are opportunists, why would conservatives like them jump into a radical platform whose philosophy is diametrically opposed to theirs? How can people who lack ideology or a coherent roadmap continue to boast that they want to transform Nigeria?
Conclusion:
The coalitionists’ maneuvers reveal not only desperation but also a fundamental absence of ideological conviction. Without a clear philosophy or vision, their promises of transformation ring hollow. Nigeria’s political future cannot be entrusted to opportunism masquerading as opposition.
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