Leaders of the emerging opposition coalition have begun arriving at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja for the official launch of the new political alliance aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Among the key figures already present at the venue are former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar; his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi; former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai; and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Also in attendance are former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, both of whom were recently announced as the interim National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—the adopted platform for the opposition coalition.
Other prominent figures spotted at the event include former House of Representatives member, Dino Melaye; former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung; media mogul and PDP chieftain, Dele Momodu; Senator Gabriel Suswam; Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (retd.).
Delegates and representatives from the PDP, Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and other smaller opposition groups have also arrived for the media conference.
Meanwhile a planned unveiling of the African Democratic Congress as a unifying political platform for Nigeria’s opposition suffered a setback on Wednesday after the event venue abruptly cancelled a fully paid reservation just hours before the programme.
The event, scheduled to hold at the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Asokoro, Abuja, was expected to formally introduce the ADC as the platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.
However, organisers were informed Wednesday morning that the hotel would no longer host the event due to an unspecified “internal compliance matter.”
A screenshot of the hotel’s message, posted on Wednesday by media personality and politician Dele Momodu, on his Instagram page, read, “Dear Esteemed Patron, Thank you once again for choosing the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments.
“We sincerely regret to inform you that due to an internal compliance matter that has just come to our attention, we are unable to proceed with hosting your scheduled event.
“We are fully aware that the event is less than 24 hours away, and we deeply apologise for the timing and inconvenience this may cause.”
The sudden cancellation has drawn sharp reactions from opposition figures, with Momodu alleging political interference.
“The intimidation of opposition by a jittery government continues as the booking of a venue for the unveiling of the adopted party, ADC, by the coalition has been unilaterally and suddenly cancelled by the Management of the hotel due to what insiders described as fear of reprisals from APC operatives.
“But this will not dampen the daredevil determination of opposition forces who are poised to hotly challenge the ruling party,” Momodu wrote.
In a statement included in Momodu’s post, Salihu Lukman, on behalf of People and Passion Consult Ltd, accused the hotel of breaching a valid contract.
“This is unacceptable. Your management has no right to unilaterally sabotage a contract validly and legally agreed to and fully paid for. You must meet the terms of the contract fully by allowing the event to hold with full compliments of all the services agreed to. This is not negotiable,” Lukman said.
The ADC unveiling was expected to bring together top political figures across party lines, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark, and former governors Aminu Tambuwal, Sule Lamido, Liyel Imoke, and Sam Egwu.
Others reportedly involved include Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and ex-Minister Rotimi Amaechi.
