Former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has declared that he regrets being part of the Nigerians who formed the All Progressives Congress (APC), admitting that the coalition he helped build has failed the country.
Atiku made this known on Thursday during a press briefing in Abuja, where opposition figures gathered to deliberate on the state of the nation and ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reflecting on the events that led to the historic merger of opposition parties in 2014, the former presidential candidate recalled that political stakeholders united under the APC platform to challenge the administration of then President Goodluck Jonathan. At the time, the coalition was driven by widespread concerns over insecurity and a faltering economy.
“I regret being part of the Nigerians who formed the APC. We came together in 2014 because we believed democracy was faltering. The issues then were insecurity and the economy. But today, the situation has become even worse than what we set out to correct,” he said.
According to him, the present realities in the country now surpass the very challenges that necessitated the APC’s formation over a decade ago, stressing that painful but necessary lessons must be drawn from past political alliances.
The former Vice President warned that any fresh coalition or opposition movement must be deliberate, ideological, and focused on rebuilding democratic institutions rather than just capturing power.
“We must ensure that whatever steps we take now are aimed at restoring true democracy in Nigeria. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past,” Atiku stated.
The press conference was attended by several prominent opposition leaders, signaling ongoing consultations and possible political alignments aimed at unseating the APC in 2027.
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