… a definitive signal to be an opposition platform ready to cut its way through to power and justice without cutting down the maize.
The Nigeria National Coalition Group (NNCG), a political association of displaced politicians critical of Tinubu’s administration, has formally applied to INEC to register a new political party under the name All Democratic Alliance (ADA). Prominent figures associated with the NNCG said to be the promoters of ADA include Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Dr. Umar Ardo.
ADA is certainly the natural acronym for the Association of Displaced Ambitionists, which is apt in this case. Except in Igbo culture where ADA means first-born daughter, ADA means something as dangerous as an attack weapon in most parts of Nigeria. ADA is the word for cutlass, which is both a weapon and a tool in Yoruba and Hausa cultures. The protem National Chairman and National Secretary of the proposed party know much about this. The Hausa word for cutlass, ada could sometimes have double ‘d’, as in “adda” but it is pronounced ‘ada’ always. In general, in Nigeria, a cutlass is a versatile tool used for various tasks, particularly in agriculture and outdoor settings. ADA is primarily used for clearing grass, weeds, and light brushes but can also be employed for digging holes, cutting trees, and harvesting crops. In some rural areas, it serves as a security tool. ADA could serve as an attack or defence weapon.
Before going for ADA, the coalition partners group explored the possibility of taking over ADC for which it allegedly doled out €650,000 (or N1.2 billion), and the SDP to which the group allegedly deposited $200,000 (or N320 million). However, internal divisions and ongoing litigations within ADC and vigorous oppositions by SDP NWC members to the proposed take-over of their party raised grave concerns forcing the coalition promoters to go back to the drawing board which they had neglected for a couple of months or years to seek own political party platform to be registered by INEC. This is no doubt a good move and a definitive signal to be an opposition platform. So, we can imagine that the new ADA is poised to cut its way through to power and justice and won’t cut down the maize in the process.
Johnson Omo-Ikiroda. Ekpoma. 21/06/25