The Presidency has poured cold water on the hopes of Nigeria’s new opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that it stands no chance of replicating the landmark political upset that brought the All Progressives Congress (APC) to power in 2015.

Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, made this clear in a post on Thursday via X (formerly Twitter). According to him, the circumstances and characters behind this new coalition are a far cry from what led to the historic APC merger over a decade ago.

Dare pointed out that the APC’s birth in 2013 was anchored on selflessness, national interest, and discipline, with leaders ready to shelve personal ambitions for a greater cause. “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite his influence and the loyalty of several governors, chose to wait and focus on building a strong political platform. He had never lost an election, and he didn’t have to force his way in,” Dare wrote.

Drawing a sharp contrast, Dare said today’s coalition under the ADC is “driven by personal ambition and desperation.” He labelled the chief promoter of the alliance as a “serial election loser,” chasing what appears to be his last shot at the presidency—without backing from his state, his region, or any solid political base.

He also highlighted how the APC merger was anchored by the towering figure of Muhammadu Buhari, who was widely seen as a symbol of integrity and a national unifier with massive grassroots appeal. “No one in this new coalition commands that sort of loyalty or trust,” Dare stressed. “Not one of them could genuinely unite even a ward, let alone the entire country.”

Most importantly, Dare argued, the APC was formed to tackle clear injustices, such as the exclusion of certain regions from power and the desire to end 16 years of PDP dominance. “It was a coalition built on the pursuit of justice and balance,” he said.

On the other hand, Dare dismissed the new ADC-led coalition as purely opportunistic. “The presidency is already with the region that is due, and it will remain there till 2031. There is no injustice to correct here—only selfish ambitions to satisfy.”

For Nigerians, he suggested, the message is simple: don’t be fooled by surface comparisons. The ADC coalition, he insisted, lacks the vision, unity, and genuine cause that once made the APC such a formidable force.