Osita Okechukwu, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has known as on the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) to approve the registration of the proposed All Democratic Alliance (ADA), stating that its emergence would in the end strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s prospects for a second time period in 2027.
Okechukwu made the feedback on Sunday throughout an interplay with journalists, following affirmation that the Nationwide Opposition Coalition Group had formally utilized to INEC for ADA’s registration.
The coalition, reportedly backed by opposition figures comparable to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, submitted its request by way of a letter dated June 19, signed by Chief Akin A. Rickets (Protem Nationwide Chairman) and Abdullahi Elayo (Protem Nationwide Secretary).
Describing the transfer as “a welcome improvement,” Okechukwu — a former Director Common of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) — stated the multi-party system stays important for Nigeria’s democracy.
He expressed confidence that ADA’s emergence wouldn’t threaten APC’s maintain on energy however fairly “improve” Tinubu’s possibilities in 2027.
“My tackle the formation of the All Democratic Alliance is that it’s welcome. I’m an apostle of multiparty democracy — let all of the flowers bloom. ADA’s registration will truly assist President Tinubu,” he said.
He argued that ADA’s assumed political technique depends on outdated assumptions about northern voting patterns.
“They appear to suppose the northern voters are stored in dormitories, ready to be herded to vote for a northern presidential candidate. That’s a false and outdated premise,” Okechukwu stated, including that northern voters are among the many most subtle in Nigeria’s political panorama.
Responding to criticism of Tinubu’s administration from opposition quarters, Okechukwu dismissed allegations of widespread northern discontent, stating that the president’s ongoing infrastructure drive and decentralization reforms — together with {financial} autonomy for native governments — are already yielding seen advantages throughout the nation.
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He additionally responded to the argument floated by ADA supporters that energy ought to return to the North in 2027 on the premise of regional stability. Okechukwu dismissed the declare as traditionally inaccurate.
“Some declare that by 2027, the South would have dominated for 17 years in comparison with the North’s 11. That’s a biased narrative. Since 1960, the North has presided over Nigeria longer than the South. This was exactly why the rotation precept was adopted in 1999.”
On the opportunity of ADA presenting a southern presidential candidate to counterbalance Tinubu, Okechukwu was skeptical, suggesting that the occasion’s management might battle to unite the fragmented opposition panorama.
“Even when they float a southern candidate, their starvation for energy may blind them to the realities of coalition-building, particularly with PDP, APGA, NNPP, and Labour Party members all jostling for relevance.”
Okechukwu maintained that INEC ought to proceed with ADA’s registration in accordance with the regulation, citing a Supreme Courtroom ruling from the APC’s opposition days as precedent for permitting new events an opportunity to take part within the democratic course of.
INEC has but to reply to the ADA software.
