During the last period, there are developments in the opposition parties in Nigeria. The leaders of the second and the third parties at the last general election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (People’s Democratic Party) and Peter Obi (Labour Party) have announced that they joined and will run under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). ADC is a small party that was founded in 2005.
The move has already triggered high-profile defections—some even from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—to the ADC.
The coalition has set up an interim leadership for the ADC, naming former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman, former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, and former Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi as National Publicity Secretary.
This is not the first time a coalition has been formed to unseat an incumbent. The fact that some of their members make radical speeches and denounce the very system they have long benefited from does not mean they intend to change anything. Rather, they are exploiting the suffering of the masses as an opportunity to climb to power and secure greater influence.
Nothing new
During his acceptance speech, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola declared:
“As the National Secretary, I will work to build a party that has a clear ideological compass—a party that is committed to the people, rooted in democratic values, the rule of law, social justice, accountability, transparency, and national development. A party that listens and works for the people, not only during elections, but every single day.”
These are empty words aimed at misleading those with short memory—those who lack a critical understanding of the political record of the coalition’s members.
We have seen this before. When the All Progressives Congress (APC) formed a coalition and came to power after removing the corrupt Goodluck Jonathan administration in the historic 2015 election, it brought former President Muhammadu Buhari to power. His eight-year tenure was marked by anti-poor, pro-rich policies, rampant insecurity, and grave human rights abuses.
Many Nigerians have celebrated this new coalition, believing it marks a turning point that could dislodge the corrupt Tinubu/APC regime. But the people must understand that this is not yet uhuru [freedom], and simply raising a new flag or launching a new party logo will not solve our problems.
Nigerians must come to terms with the reality that unless the working class builds its own mass party, with the aim to implement socialist policies—we will remain trapped in capitalist Merry go round.
The Coalition Is a Ruse
There is no doubt about the character of those forming this alliance: former vice presidents, governors, ministers—many of them part of the billionaire elite who enriched themselves through plundering public resources while in office, whether elected or appointed. Such individuals cannot deliver the change that Nigeria’s ordinary people desperately need.
The coalition is also heterogeneous, built on conflicting interests.
The Chinese have a saying: “The fish rots from the head,” meaning that problems start from the leadership level.
For decades, the political elite that this new coalition represents have managed the system in favor of the ruling class. They have shown a total lack of transparency and an entanglement with corruption.
Countless homes have been looted without consequence. Blunders have been made across various sectors of government, and justice has been denied. Instead of providing solutions to the people’s problems, many of these leaders relied on funds from the IMF, World Bank, and the UN—funds which were frequently misappropriated and are being paid back by the sweat of ordinary people. And they have kept the vicious circle of exploitation and plundering going.
Nigerians must organize themselves to take democratic control of production in the interest of the people.
What Kind of Coalition Do the Nigerian People Need?
Many young people on social media jokingly comment that “the coalition Nigeria needs is a coalition of the oppressed.” But behind the satire lies a powerful truth: the suffering masses must come together to form a real alliance and movement capable of challenging the ruling class and their repeated coalitions.
What we need is a movement built by people ready to fight tooth and nail for a just and free society.
Such a movement must include workers, youth, unions, civil society, left-wing currents and organizations, sectoral Associations, and many others. As Karl Marx said, “The ruling class does not give up power without a fight.”
The first and foremost task of this coalition would be to build structures of participation and struggle so ordinary people can be mobilized to react against exploitation and repression, and to better their lives. This coalition will also need to discuss standing in elections, while confronting the widespread flawed and fraudulent election process.
At this moment of time, we believe that the African Action Congress (AAC), led by Omoyele Sowore, offers a starting point for such a process. AAC should radicalize its programme and offer open and democratic structures for mass participation in order to play this role.
How can change come?
Now is the time to ask ourselves the difficult questions—and to prepare ourselves to provide the answers through collective action.
What is the use of a Ministry of Labour when it takes no concrete steps to reduce unemployment? Why have a Ministry of Agriculture when people are starving? What is the use of a Ministry of Defence when there are no real policies to protect the people from kidnappers and bandits? What is the use of a Ministry of Health when people are dying of preventable diseases? What is the use of a Ministry of Finance if it does not finance adequate non-profit infrastructure programs for all? Why have a Ministry of Education that does not improve learning outcomes and expand access to schools, especially in rural areas?
These are the issues that a new working class party must address. It must advocate for public ownership of the commanding heights of the economy, as well as workers and social control and management of the public sector, in order for the economy to run for the good of the people.
For us in the Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM), the time has come to fight for real change. We must continue to mobilize, educate, and organize the people.
In conclusion
The failure of government becomes a bottleneck for society, and the people’s well-being remains an illusion under capitalism. Nigeria has more than enough resources to become a place where all its people live in dignity. But a deadly alliance between corrupt political elites and national and multinational corporations continues to hold us back.
A genuine coalition of the oppressed must issue a direct call to the working class and must state clearly that poverty is not a natural condition of humanity or of any nation. Poverty is the direct result of capitalism and the criminal appropriation of society’s wealth.
From economic crisis to imperialist war, revolutionaries must use every systemic failure to organize. As the campaign against the inhuman and degrading treatment of the people continues—both under the Tinubu regime and in opposition-run states—we must meet the ruling class with practical resistance.
The new ₦70,000 minimum wage has yet to be implemented by the federal government or in most states. Meanwhile, multinational corporations continue to pay poverty wages to Nigerian workers. This exploitation must become the central target of our struggle. The rich grow richer only through the exploitation of labor. We must fight back against this reality.
We must also recognize that capitalism is a global system, and so our struggle must be rooted in internationalist solidarity with working class around the world with the ultimate aim to overthrow capitalism. Some promote social democratic policies, which advocate that capitalism can be reformed. But history proves the opposite: capitalism cannot be reformed—it must be replaced.
Nigerian workers and youth must build their own coalition. Only a socialist alternative can offer hope to the hopeless and justice to the oppressed.
