Former Adamawa North Senator Ishaku Abbo has stirred fresh uncertainty within opposition circles after contradicting claims that the newly proposed All Democratic Alliance (ADA) is part of a coalition’s plans.
In a cryptic Facebook post on Sunday June 22, Abbo insisted that the coalition was focused on the African Democratic Congress (ADC), not ADA, raising questions about internal disagreements among key opposition figures.
“The Coalition is working on adopting and unveiling ADC not ADA please. Jungo be jungo. Good morning! #share,” he wrote, leaving supporters and political observers puzzled over the apparent discrepancy.
Abbo, who was ousted from the Senate in October 2023 following a court ruling, has been a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He is also a prominent member of a faction led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, which recently applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register ADA as a new political party.
The move to establish ADA began recently after opposition leaders, including Atiku, former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai wrote to INEC seeking the registration of the party.
Initially, the group, operating as the Nigeria National Coalition Group (NNCG), had explored alliances with existing parties like the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and ADC. However, they have now abandoned those talks, opting instead to form their own platform.
At a meeting in Abuja last Thursday, the group finalised its decision, naming Chief Akin Anderson Ricketts, a former Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) chairman under Amaechi’s tenure, as ADA’s interim chairman. Other high-profile figures linked to the party include Peter Obi, Aminu Tambuwal, and former APC chairman John Oyegun, suggesting a broad but potentially fragile coalition of political heavyweights.
Abbo’s sudden clarification that the coalition is backing ADC, not ADA, has added fuel to speculation about divisions within the opposition camp. While his post did not elaborate, the phrase “Jungo be jungo” (a local expression implying unpredictability) hints at behind-the-scenes tensions.
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