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. The recent regrouping of prominent political actors under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is the latest evidence of a system in moral and ideological crisis.
The ADC, once a fringe party with modest influence, has suddenly become the new political home for an unlikely coalition of power-hungry veterans, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governors Rotimi Amaechi, Nasir El-Rufai, Rauf Aregbesola, and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi. All of them, having either wrecked their former parties or failed to achieve their personal ambitions within them, now find shelter in ADC, ironically branding it a “third force” for national salvation.
But let’s be honest: this is not a coalition of ideologues. It is a gathering of political drifters. The same people who have occupied the highest levels of power in PDP, APC, and LP have now converged in ADC, not because of shared vision, but because of individual calculations. 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.”
This charade exposes a political culture where ideology is expendable, and honour is negotiable. These politicians have, over the years, shown a disturbing pattern: When the platform no longer serves their ambition, they abandon it. When internal democracy threatens their dominance, they destroy it. When the people demand accountability, they switch parties and rebrand themselves as saviours.
Their sudden love for ADC is not a fresh start; it’s a strategic detour. It’s less about rescuing Nigeria and more about rescuing their relevance. Each man carries the baggage of past failures, unfulfilled promises, and public disillusionment. Yet, they present themselves again as if the Nigerian people suffer from collective amnesia.
Contrast this with the political trajectory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Unlike the band of opportunists seeking reinvention under new party labels, Tinubu has demonstrated remarkable political consistency. From his early days in the Alliance for Democracy (AD), he nurtured that platform into the Action Congress (AC), evolved it into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and later led its merger into the All Progressives Congress (APC) the Nigeria’s current ruling party. Through this journey, he never defected for convenience, nor did he abandon the ideals that shaped his political mission.
For eight years, he stood firmly behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, despite internal tensions, because of his belief in a larger vision. He earned his candidacy not through last-minute negotiations or threats of defection, but by building and sustaining a political structure over decades. That is what ideology, consistency, and vision look like in practice, not political hopping for personal rescue missions.
This brand of politics, driven by selfish calculations rather than service, is why Nigeria remains stuck in a cycle of recycling the same characters under different banners. It is why trust in political leadership is at an all-time low. And it is why millions of Nigerians now treat every new “coalition” with suspicion, if not outright derision.
Until we break this cycle and we insist on political leadership rooted in ideology, consistency, and service, we will continue to witness loud declarations followed by quiet betrayals. A nation cannot rise on the back of men who stand for everything and believe in nothing.
Let the ADC experiment serve as a case study in opportunism, not transformation. Nigeria deserves better.
Engr. Bola Babarinde, Former Chairman of APC, South Africa Chapter, write from South Africa.
