The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, has dismissed the newly formed coalition of political parties and has described those behind it as disgruntled persons who are unhappy because they are not in government.

“Let’s be realistic. Let’s tell ourselves the truth. The time for deceiving Nigerians is over.

“Who was not in the government in the last regime? Who is not in government? We know the track record of everyone,” Radda said on a national tv program .

“We know what they have done when they were in government, and they are now crying and shouting because they are outside of the government.”

The coalition, which was newly unveiled, had adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after months of talks. It appointed a former Senate President, David Mark, as interim national chairman; a former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as secretary, and Bolaji Abdullahi as spokesman.

In his acceptance speech, Mark accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of turning Nigeria into a one-party state.

The unveiling of the platform has since triggered a barrage of reactions from opposition politicians, with Radda the latest high-profile personality to question the coalition’s sincerity.

Governor Radda said the group should come out with its agenda for the country and sell itself to Nigerians.

“Let’s be realistic,” the governor said. “If we are coming with something new to Nigerians, every Nigerian is going to embrace it.

He said, “Who are these people in this coalition? Why were they not in another coalition before? What are they going to come and do differently from what is happening in the country now? Can they promise Nigerians what they are going to bring about?

“Let them come out and tell Nigerians, those who want to contest for president in this election. Let them come and tell Nigerians, are they going to bring the subsidy back?

“And if they are going to bring subsidy back, let them tell Nigerians how they are going to run the government, and with what resources are they going to run the government, and with what resources are they going to pay to bring about the subsidy.”

The coalition includes some heavyweight politicians, such as a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

Others are a former Rivers governor, Rotimi Amaechi; Senator Dino Melaye; ex-minister, Solomon Dalong; publisher, Dele Momodu; ex-Benue governor, Gabriel Suswam; Senator Ireti Kingibe; and a former Imo governor, Emeka Ihedioha..

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised the alarm over a desperate plot to undermine and destabilise the growing opposition coalition in Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s interim National Publicity Secretary.

Abdullahi alleged that former ADC state chairmen and key officials in the North-East and North-West were summoned to a secret meeting with top government officials.

“We have credible intelligence that the aim of this meeting is not national security or peacebuilding,” Abdullahi said.

He described the move as an attempt to co-opt these individuals into a fabricated plot against the opposition coalition.

“This is not politics; this is outright sabotage,” Abdullahi declared.

He said the motive was to sow confusion, delegitimise ADC’s new leadership, and derail its growing momentum as the face of the opposition.

Abdullahi, who is also the coalition’s national spokesperson, said it formed part of a wider effort to entrench one-party rule.

He claimed the July 1 coalition declaration and July 2 ADC unveiling had clearly unsettled the ruling party.

“The coalition is an idea whose time has come,” he said, declaring the party belonged to all Nigerians tired of lies and hardship.

“It belongs to those who want to restore decency, vision, and justice to governance,” he added.

He vowed that the party would resist any attempt to impose one-party dictatorship by all democratic means.

Abdullahi called on President Bola Tinubu to take note of the actions of some of his appointees and rein them in.

He further urged the President to prove to Nigerians that he remains committed to democratic principles. (NAN)

A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party and Board of Trustees member, Adamu Waziri, has resigned from the party and joined the African Democratic Congress.

Waziri announced his decision on Monday at his Dogo Tebo Ward in Potiskum, Yobe State.

He said the move was in line with the PDP constitution, which requires formal resignation at the ward level.

Explaining his decision, Waziri said the PDP no longer reflects the values of a credible opposition.“I was a member of PDP, and due to the exigencies of the moment and in the interest of the nation, I have decided to resign,” he said. Punch