…says defection to ADC effort in futility 

Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

The Convener of the Alternative Movement and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Segun Showunmi, has knocked the defection of former Nigerian vice president, Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, David Mark, Osun State former governor, Rauf Aregbesola and others to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring their coalition in the party will fail.

Showunmi who described the coalition as that of commotion, confusion and corruption, said that what Nigerians need is change of attitude to voting and electoral process, not a coalition of leaders who cannot be trusted with their destinies.

Opposition leaders across major political parties on Wednesday adopted ADC as a platform for a coalition pushing to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Former Senate President, David Mark and a two-time governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, were respectively enthroned as the Interim National Chairman and Secretary of the party.

But speaking at a Southwest Town hall meeting of the Alternative in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Showunmi, mocked the opposition leaders, labeling them as a coalition of commotion, confusion, corruption and mismanagement.

“It’s the right of politicians to do whatever they want to do but it’s the duty of citizens to look at them and say, you have done this kind of trick one time too many.

“That party, the ADC, has been in existence for some time. Some of our people have been there and they even have contested issues around their chairmanship.

“Yet, today, you have left your own party and you have rushed in there. If you go there quietly like decent people so that you don’t carry the same character you had in your party to destroy your party into a new forum, people would have respected you.

“But what are you doing? You’re huffing and puffing as if the party did not have members before. Who will follow such people?

“So, when people ask me what I have to say about the coalition or whatever they call it? I will just say, the merry-go-round of the musical chair they have been doing since these years did not work for them and will not work now,” he said.

The PDP Chieftain said Nigerians have up to next year to decide if they’ll re-elect President Bola Tinubu or not.

He, however, ruled out the leaders in the coalition, saying it will be a waste of time if Nigerians entrust them with power.

“In the meantime, we may not know who can fit in, but we know these ones cannot do anything. It will be a waste of everybody’s time even if they try it,” he said.

Showunmi, who was the spokesperson of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Council in 2019, however, said that the Alternative Movement was created to deepen Nigerian democracy.

He said the Movement was started to tackle issues of voters apathy, votes-buying, division among Nigerians, emphasising the need to present a credible and qualified aspirant as the country’s leaders.

In his remarks, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, said Nigeria needs coalition with progressive-mindedness, urging Nigerians to reject repackaging of “political despots” as saviours.

“We must all come together to salvage the country,” he submitted.