Taiwo Popoola
As the coalition drive to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 continues to gain momentum across the country, the ruling All Progressives Congress seems unsettled.
Urban Express News Online reports that some bigwigs in the opposition political parties and aggrieved members of the APC are currently teaming up ahead of the election, aiming at sacking the present administration.
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, Peter Obi, former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-rufai, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal are among notable opposition figures spearheading the coalition talk.
National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Ralphs Okey Nwosu, is also one of the key personalities in the coalition movement.
Obi and Atiku candidacy
There are reports that Peter Obi may deputise Atiku in the 2027 presidential election.
The duo had contested for the nation’s number one seat in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against the then incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Opposition figures, who believed that the election was rigged by the ruling APC, had challenged the outcome, insisting that Obi and Atiku won the election.
However, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Obi and Atiku (PDP) won 18 states, while the ruling party won 19 states, respectively.
INEC declared that PDP garnered 11,262,978 votes, losing the position to Buhari, who scored 15,191,847 votes.
In 2023, Obi and Atiku contested the “election on solo”. While Obi was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Atiku had the PDP ticket.
Although President Tinubu won the election with 8,794,726 votes, with Atiku and Obi scoring 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes each, the election was challenged up to the Supreme Court.
According to some political analysts, if Obi had contested the election as Atiku’s running mate, the duo may have scored over 13 million votes to sack the ruling party.
APC fidgets
Urban Express News Online gathered that the alignment of the opposition forces is not sitting well with the ruling party.
It was gathered weekend that the APC has formulated more cogent strategies to attract more governors and lawmakers into the party in a bid to have a stronger structure that would resist the coalition.
A source, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said APC has resolved that “all first-time governors will have automatic tickets” to run for the 2027 elections.
According to him, “the decision is that all first-time governors will be given automatic tickets, and it’s not just a ticket, the party will fight for such a governor to ensure his re-election.
“So, most governors from the opposition parties, who are not sure of their victory, are joining our party.
“For example, Akwa-Ibom and Delta State governors would have lost their re-elections if they remained in the opposition parties.
“In Delta for instance, Tinubu had settled for Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo as the next governor of the state.
“The governor knows that he cannot beat Keyamo, especially when backed by Tinubu, so he decided to defect to the APC.
“Regarding Akwa-Ibom State, if the Governor had refused to join APC, Akpabio could flush out his government by 2027. At the end of the day, it is all about personal interest”.
According to the source, the governors have also been allowed to handpick candidates for the national assembly.
How Unity In Coalition May Face Up Uphill Task
Some setbacks have started creeping into the proposed coalition, particularly due to the choice of political party to be used as umbrella for the coming election.
Urban Express News Online gathered that following viral reports that the coalition adopted ADC, the party secretly amended its constitution to grant equal rights and privileges to incoming members.
The move was interpreted by insiders as a strategic step to accommodate high-profile defectors like Atiku, Obi and others ahead of the coalition.
However, the decision sparked resistance among some powerful stakeholders, especially from states, vowing that they will not relinquish their positions to new entrants.
Also, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, in a recent interview, ruled out the possibility of him stepping down for another candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In another confusing development, Peter Obi, in a viral video on Friday, said he would contest the 2027 election on the platform of the Labour Party, fueling speculations that the coalition may adopt LP.
However, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, told Urban Express News weekend that the Labour Party is not aware of any coalition going on.
He insisted that the LP has no plan to accommodate other political parties.
According to him, “We are contesting the election on solo, and we have said before that there would be no automatic ticket for anybody.
“If Peter Obi chooses to contest via the party, he will follow due processes right from the primary election. We have said earlier that anybody will have an automatic ticket.”
On Obi deputising Atiku, Yunusa Tanko, the National Coordinator of Obidient Movement, told Urban Express News Online that Obi has yet to decide.
“I know that Peter Obi has not told anybody that he will be a vice-presidential candidate. He stands to contest as a presidential candidate.
“What we are having now is politicians who have a common interest coming together to plan ahead of the 2027 election”, he said
