ABUJA, NIGERIA — June 8, 2025 | IDNN POLITICS DESK —
Presidential aide and former Atiku Abubakar loyalist, Daniel Bwala, has unleashed a blistering assessment of Nigeria’s opposition landscape, declaring that the former Vice President may “never have been destined” to become President—and predicting that the new ADC-led opposition coalition will implode within six months.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Bwala dismissed the viability of the recently formed opposition alliance, describing it as a gathering of “internally displaced politicians” lacking any coherent vision or policy alternatives.
“It may never have been destined by God for him [Atiku] to be President. He has done everything necessary to win, and it still hasn’t happened,” Bwala said.
Once a key spokesperson in Atiku’s 2023 presidential campaign, Bwala defected to support President Bola Tinubu shortly after the elections. His latest comments signal a complete rupture with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its newly formed opposition coalition.
ADC Becomes the Battleground
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) was adopted last week as the official political platform for a coalition of opposition forces, including former presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, as well as ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, and Sule Lamido.
While some have hailed the alliance as a potential third-force vehicle capable of unseating President Tinubu in 2027, Bwala sees a ticking time bomb.
“In a month, they’ll start fighting over who will be the flagbearer. In six months, this coalition won’t even be a conversation,” he warned.
Bwala quoted former Labour Party vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, who has already voiced concerns about leadership tussles in the group.
‘No Ideas, No Alternatives’
Beyond internal fractures, Bwala accused opposition leaders of lacking substance and failing to provide Nigerians with credible alternatives.
“What I find intriguing is that this coalition has not been able to produce a single alternative policy. What are they really offering Nigerians?” he asked.
He singled out Peter Obi for criticism, labelling him the “Commander-in-Chief of lies,” and accused him of engaging in disinformation about President Tinubu’s borrowing record.
Tinubu’s Camp Reacts Strongly
The Presidency appears to be intensifying its media response, with Bwala leading the charge against what it calls “falsehoods and political grandstanding” from the opposition.
“We are only reacting to Gbajue’s obsession with our president,” Bwala wrote on X, using the pejorative nickname “Gbajue” to describe Peter Obi.
He also dismissed Obi’s relevance in the political space, claiming he’s been “downgraded to compete with Amaechi for second fiddle.”
A Fragile Coalition in the Crosshairs
While ADC officials have insisted the coalition remains strong, early signs of friction are visible. Multiple court cases have been filed to challenge the interim leadership of the party, while internal dissent continues to bubble beneath the surface, especially at the state level.
Bwala’s prediction of collapse is rooted in what many see as an unsolvable equation—multiple former presidential candidates, big egos, clashing ideologies, and no clear power-sharing formula.
With 2027 still over two years away, Nigeria’s political chessboard is already in motion. But if Bwala’s forecast proves accurate, the opposition may struggle to keep the coalition intact long enough to mount a serious challenge.
