By Kolawole Ojebisi
Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, who is also a key stakeholder in the ongoing merger talks, has dismissed as false and misleading the report that the coalition has adopted the African Democratic Congress as its preferred political platform.
Lukman disclosed this in a statement he personally signed on Thursday in Abuja.
The former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum also refuted the claim by an online news platform that he has been appointed to head the secretariat of the coalition, adding that the reports may have been planted in the media.
The statement read: “The public should disregard the story as it is completely false. No such decision has been taken. Also false is the report that the coalition has adopted the ADC at its meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
“The truth is negotiations among all the coalition leaders are progressing very well, and final decisions about the political platform for the 2027 election will be taken soon.
“Unfortunately, there appears to be some mischief makers promoting and planting stories in the media with the clear aim of sowing seeds of discord among coalition leaders.
“The public and the media should please disregard all these mischievous stories.”
Lukman’s clarification comes on the heels of reports that the coalition had settled for ADC following the gale of defections by opposition leaders and federal lawmakers to the APC in the past few weeks.
He, however, assured the public that they will be kept abreast of developments regarding the coalition talks, stressing that once the negotiation is concluded, a formal announcement will be made by the leaders of the coalition.
Recall that it was widely reported on Wednesday that the coalition had adopted the ADC as the platform to launch its much touted opposition intended to wrest the reins of power from President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
According to the reports, former Kaduna State governor and a key member of the planned coalition was quoted to have made the disclosure.
El-Rufai was reported to have made the declaration while addressing a gathering at Arewa TechFest in Katsina, on Wednesday
“Yesterday at 8 PM, there was a very important meeting of the coalition we’re putting together to ensure that President Tinubu goes back to Lagos.
“Though we will still keep Bosun Tijani, we will still keep the minister because he is doing good work.”
The report came hours after another platform quoted an insider to have said, “They have adopted the African Democratic Party as the coalition party, all of them (Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai) are working together.
“They came to the conclusion last night up till the early hours of this morning,”
