Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has ridiculed the formation of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), dismissing it as an overhyped political effort lacking genuine coalition strength.
In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Keyamo criticised the political buzz surrounding the registration application submitted by ADA to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The ADA, reportedly backed by the Nigerian National Coalition Group (NNCG), counts among its key supporters former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
The party’s application, dated 19 June, was signed by its National Chairman, Akin Ricketts, and Pro Tem National Secretary, Abdullahi Musa Elayo.
Reacting, Keyamo dismissed the development as an unremarkable attempt to gain attention.
“This is just a simple application for party registration. There is nothing like a ‘coalition’ here,” he wrote.
“It is an unnecessary hype the promoters have been struggling to create all along.”
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The Aviation Minister argued that unlike the grand political alliance that led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, ADA lacks both scale and substance.
“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.”
He further accused ADA’s promoters of launching psychological warfare against Nigerians, claiming the effort was a “weak attempt at mass appeal” and lacking support from any major political party.
“In the end, it is simply a group of individuals exercising their constitutional right to register a party. Nothing more,” Keyamo added.
The ADA’s formation has stirred political speculation ahead of the 2027 general elections, but Keyamo’s remarks signal the ruling party’s dismissive stance on what some are calling a potential third force.
