Former Kaduna State Governor and prominent Social Democratic Party (SDP) figure, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has revealed that the opposition coalition is working on registering a new political party as a contingency plan to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which it recently adopted as its political platform.
In an interview with Radio France International (RFI) Hausa Service on Wednesday night, El-Rufai voiced concerns that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) might attempt to destabilize the ADC from within by engineering internal crises. He warned that such tactics could be used to derail the opposition’s preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The alliance with ADC is temporary,” El-Rufai stated. “If the government triggers a crisis within the party through its agents or institutions, we will move to a new party immediately.”
El-Rufai explained that the backup political party is being prepared to protect the coalition’s unity and independence, and to shield it from alleged state-sponsored interference.
He further accused the APC-led administration of weaponizing federal anti-corruption agencies—namely the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)—to intimidate opposition figures who refuse to join the ruling party.
“The strategy is obvious: anyone who refuses to join the APC suddenly finds themselves under investigation,” he alleged.
While the ADC was officially adopted as the coalition’s platform on Wednesday, fears of infiltration and manipulation have prompted opposition leaders like El-Rufai to push for the creation of a new party. He emphasized that the move is necessary to preserve the integrity of the opposition and ensure it remains a credible force ahead of the next election cycle.
