Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has narrated how he and former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, initiated discussions that led to the formation of the opposition coalition now operating under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking during an X Spaces session titled Weekend Politics last weekend, Amaechi revealed that the initial meeting took place at the residence of businessman Nasiru Danu, with the participation of Salihu Mohammed (Mustapha) and others.
According to him, Salihu Mohammed convened the meeting to reconcile political differences between him and Fayemi.
“ADC has overgrown those that started it. The coalition started between Fayemi and I in the house of Nasiru Danu, with Salihu Mohammed and others. Salihu commenced the meeting, wanting us to reconcile. After reconciliation, we agreed to broaden it so that it would involve more than just the two of us talking about starting a new party,” Amaechi said.
He explained that the group then hired a consultant to analyse the political landscape and INEC’s structure to determine the most suitable party to adopt.
The coalition gradually expanded to include Senator Aminu Tambuwal and other prominent politicians, eventually growing to between 20 and 30 members. A committee was then set up to identify a viable party platform.
“The committee, after negotiating with several parties like the Action Alliance (AA) and Accord Party, ended up with the ADC. One of our requirements was that the party must give up its leadership so everyone could join,” Amaechi disclosed.
The coalition today includes figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former SGF Babachir Lawal, former Senate President David Mark, former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi. Many PDP members have also defected to the ADC.
Meanwhile, Fayemi has reportedly dismissed Amaechi’s claims, describing them as unfounded.
