Former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in South Africa, Mr. Bola Babarinde, has criticized the African Democratic Congress, describing it as a political shelter for “power-hungry veterans.”
Babarinde made this assertion in a statement issued to the press on Sunday in Lagos, following the announcement that the ADC would serve as the new platform for the Atiku Abubakar-led National Coalition and other discontented APC members aiming to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The coalition, unveiled on Tuesday, has since gained backing from several opposition politicians, notably from the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, and others, who have aligned themselves with the ADC.
“In any thriving democracy, political alignment is rooted in values, conviction, and consistency. Unfortunately, the Nigerian political space continues to drift dangerously away from these ideals,” Babarinde stated.
He dismissed the coalition as lacking ideological grounding, calling it a loose collection of political wanderers. According to him, individuals who have previously held top positions in the PDP, APC, and LP have now gathered under the ADC banner—not out of shared values, but driven by personal political interests.
“What binds them is not policy or principle but ambition, specifically, the laughable idea that they all want to run for President, just for one term,” he said.
Babarinde criticized the group for recycling figures burdened by records of unfulfilled promises and public disappointment, suggesting that their renewed ambitions underestimate the awareness of the Nigerian electorate.
“Each man involved in the coalition carried the baggage of past failures, unfulfilled promises, and public disillusionment, yet, they present themselves again as if the Nigerian people suffer from collective amnesia,” he remarked.
Drawing a comparison with President Tinubu, Babarinde portrayed the coalition leaders as opportunists seeking political rebirth under new party identities, while commending Tinubu for what he described as political consistency.
He concluded by asserting that, unlike those in the coalition, Tinubu has demonstrated a sustained commitment to his political ideals.
