Why opposition coalition will collapse by September — Rep Abejide

The lawmaker representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency of Kogi State, Leke Abejide, has predicted that the newly formed opposition coalition will collapse by September, following its failure to secure a single seat in the August 16 by-elections.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Abejide, who described himself as the “landlord” of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said the coalition’s poor showing was “the beginning of the end” of the movement.

“You can see that the coalition collapsed last Saturday; all over the country, they could not even win one seat. That was the beginning of the end.

“By early next month, the coalition will collapse completely, because you cannot come to somebody’s house, hijack his house, and think the person will just be looking at you,” he said.

Abejide stressed that he had been instrumental in sustaining the ADC, noting that leaders of the coalition, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, were never card-carrying members of the party.

“I will let them know that I am the landlord. I didn’t establish the party, but I am the one who made the party remain where it is today.

“I have never decamped to a big party; I have used it [the ADC] to contest all my elections and brought people, apart from myself, to the National Assembly and the state assembly,” he added.

The coalition, which adopted the ADC as its platform in July 2025 to contest the 2027 elections, is led by prominent political figures, including former Senate President David Mark, former Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola, ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, ex-Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Dino Melaye, and media mogul Dele Momodu.

However, Abejide maintained that the arrangement was unsustainable, insisting the coalition leaders lacked legitimacy within the ADC structure.

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