MINISTER of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has dismissed the formation of the new opposition party, the All Democratic Alliance, as a failed attempt to recreate the 2013 coalition that birthed the All Progressives Congress.
In a post shared via his official X account (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Keyamo ridiculed the move, describing it as a “pedestrian joke.”
“If they are thinking of recreating what the APC did in 2013, then this is nothing but a pedestrian joke; a complete mockery of that seismic political coalition,” keyamo wrote.
The proposed party, driven by the National Opposition Coalition Group, includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Umar Ardo, a former aide to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and convener of the League of Northern Democrats, among others.
It was reported that the group applied for registration as a political party with the Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday and the process was formally acknowledged by the commission on Friday
Keyamo, however, downplayed the move, describing it as an overhyped political stunt ahead of the 2027 elections.
The minister added, “This is just a simple application for party registration. There is nothing like a ‘coalition’ here.
“It is an unnecessary hype the promoters have been struggling to create all along; it is just psychological warfare on Nigerians — a weak attempt at mass appeal.”
He further argued that no officially recognised political parties were involved in the registration effort, insisting it amounted to little more than a private initiative.
“This is not different from several political associations springing up every day for the same purpose.
“After all the razzmatazz, it boils down to the fact that a new political party is just attempting registration by a few Nigerians — it is a disappointing anti-climax to all the preceding pomp and pageantry,” Keyamo concluded.
