A key figure behind the proposed All Democratic Alliance, Umar Ardo, has spoken on the involvement of prominent politicians in the party’s registration bid.
Ardo made the disclosure on Wednesday, the 4th of March, 2026, during an appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television.
He explained that former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi headed the committee established to handle the registration process. He also stated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar nominated a representative who became part of the same committee.
Ardo said he functioned as secretary, while Amaechi presided over the committee as chairman. He noted that the team agreed on a strategy and later filed the registration request with the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He further maintained that the concept of registering ADA came from him and that he strongly canvassed support for it within the opposition bloc.
According to Ardo, events shifted after some coalition members allegedly withdrew support for the new platform. He claimed Amaechi later moved towards the African Democratic Congress after signalling plans to seek the presidency on its platform.
Despite the exits, Ardo said ADA promoters replaced the affected committee members and resubmitted the required documents.
Ardo said: “Who were those in it? Rotimi Amaechi, who nominated one of his guys as chairman. Then former Vice President Atiku, who nominated one of his people as secretary in our committee. I was the secretary of that committee and Rotimi Amaechi was the chairman of that committee. We agreed, and then we moved in and made the application.
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“And I want you to know that the idea of the registration of the ADA was mine, and I pushed it very forcefully, you know, to the to the coalition.
“So when the coalition came and said they are no longer interested in it, Amaechi moved in. And when I said he was going to contest for President in ADC, then the chairman himself went to register in ADC in his own hometown in Cross River state. Then the Secretary was appointed, not only moved to the ADC, but he was also appointed as a deputy national chairman (North central- diaspora).
“So just because these people have moved out, that shouldn’t kill the registration of the ADA. We now quickly met and then made substitution and submitted.
“They said they were going, now they came back that they want to join the ADA again in order to forestall, you know, an early judgment by the court.”