ADC: A Low-Budget APC in a New Wrapper By Kamal Rahman



The controversy surrounding the deleted tweet attacking former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has continued to trail the African Democratic Congress (ADC), further exposing the cracks within Nigeria’s so-called “new opposition.” What makes the episode even more damaging is the fact that the tweet did not come from a faceless supporter or parody page, but from the official account of the ADC Coalition Mobilization Wing, a structure created specifically to coordinate political messaging and engagement for the party’s coalition project.


After the tweet was posted and public backlash followed, it was swiftly deleted. Rather than address the content directly or accept responsibility, the party and its allies resorted to denial, claiming the post was a product of Photoshop manipulation. This explanation raised more questions than answers. In an era where digital records are easily verifiable and official accounts are closely monitored, blaming image manipulation without presenting credible proof appeared less like damage control and more like panic.


The choice to deny an obvious action instead of managing the fallout responsibly is a familiar pattern in Nigerian politics. It is a tactic Nigerians have watched repeatedly under the All Progressives Congress (APC): deny first, deflect next, and hope public attention shifts. By following the same path, the ADC has unintentionally reinforced the growing perception that it is nothing more than a low-budget APC, replicating the same political habits it claims to challenge, only without the advantage of incumbency.


This incident has also drawn attention to a deeper contradiction within the ADC’s coalition project. The party has become a rallying platform for alliances largely made up of political actors who have either ruled Nigeria in the past or played prominent roles in previous administrations. These are individuals and blocs that once promised reform but left behind unresolved economic, social, and governance challenges. Now, regrouped under a new coalition, they ask Nigerians to believe that this time will be different.


History, however, is not so easily rewritten. A coalition of familiar faces, driven by the same instincts that shaped past failures, cannot convincingly present itself as a fresh start. When those who once held power come together again without clear evidence of ideological change or accountability, skepticism becomes inevitable.


The deleted tweet from the ADC Coalition Mobilization Wing may appear minor on the surface, but it is deeply symbolic. It reveals a lack of internal coordination, a fear of accountability, and an inability to withstand political pressure. These are not traits of a party ready to govern a complex nation like Nigeria. They are warning signs of an organization still trapped in the old political culture Nigerians are desperate to escape.


If the ADC truly seeks to differentiate itself from the APC and other failed political experiments of the past, it must begin by acting differently. That starts with owning its words, managing crises with honesty, and respecting the intelligence of the Nigerian public. Until then, the party’s coalition rhetoric will ring hollow, and its claim to be a genuine alternative will remain unconvincing, another familiar political project dressed in new colours, hoping Nigerians will forget the past and trust the same players once again .

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