Former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido has firmly denied any association with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, asserting that his loyalty remains with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party that shaped his political path.
During a media chat in Kano on Tuesday, Lamido acknowledged the internal struggles within the opposition but emphasized he would be the last person to join the ADC coalition, dismissing rumors about his alleged support for Peter Obi under the ADC banner.
He stressed that a genuine political coalition should rest on shared values such as unity, stability, security, and national prosperity, not personal ambition or vindictiveness.
“For me, a coalition should have clear parameters, why are we coming together? It should be for democracy, unity, stability, security, and prosperity. These should be the unifying factors, not personal ambition, vengeance, or revenge,” he said.
Lamido reaffirmed his commitment: “I remain in PDP because I cannot walk out of my skin and crawl into a smaller one, like the ADC.”
He added that while he is open to supporting a candidate, inside or outside his party who is focused on restoring Nigeria’s lost glory and ousting the ruling party in 2027, he draws the line at coalitions built on individual alliances rather than party institutions: “What we have today is a coalition of individuals from various parties, including the Labour Party, PDP, and others, who are not coming together as institutions of political parties. The coalition is made up of individuals, and that’s why I say, I will not join it.”
Lamido also criticized the APC federal government for using state institutions to intimidate opposition members, and faulted President Tinubu’s administration over escalating insecurity, which he said has fractured national unity under political pretenses.
When asked if supporting an external candidate would breach PDP norms, he invoked past defections by PDP governors: “Who are those PDP governors who defected, to destroy the PDP federal government? They came from Adamawa, Sokoto, Kano, Rivers, and Kwara states. So, why accuse me of being anti‑party?”
He continued: “If members of the party obey its rules and constitution, there wouldn’t be a problem. There’s something majorly wrong in the PDP. In Osun State, a sitting PDP governor just declared support for Tinubu.”
“Did anyone call him to ask what that means? Wike, who is now an APC minister, has said he will work against the PDP. Is that anti‑party? What is it then?”
Lamido concluded by emphasizing the need for internal reform, calling on PDP members to recommit to the party’s founding principles:
“For the PDP to redefine itself, its members and leaders must be ready to adhere to the party’s founding rules, constitution, and philosophy.”
