Efforts by opposition parties to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 gained momentum on Thursday, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) planning an alliance to challenge the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, confirmed the development after a closed-door meeting with Obi at the Bauchi Government House on Thursday. He expressed his readiness to work with the former Labour Party presidential candidate to provide the country with purposeful leadership.
The Bauchi meeting comes a few days after former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, vowed to mobilize opposition figures to unseat Tinubu in the 2027 election. El-Rufai made this statement on Monday after switching to the Social Democratic Party from the APC.
“I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and by-elections,” El-Rufai stated.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting with the ex-presidential candidate, the Bauchi governor said he and the PDP respected and admired Obi’s political style.
“We have a lot of respect and admiration for him because of his style of politics, his statesmanship, his versatility, his deep knowledge of the economy, and his understanding of the country. Of course, he also has a clear vision of where politics and politicians should be in terms of promoting good governance, impacting the people, and uniting the country,” he said.
Mohammed emphasized that it would be a delight to work with the former Anambra State governor, adding that they had earlier met to discuss the way forward.
“It is a delight to work with him and listen to him. His deep knowledge, statistics, and so on. And we in the PDP, as chairman of my colleagues, have always admired him and shown interest because, behind the scenes, I have been meeting with him.
“This is not the first time we met. In fact, I met him in Abuja, and I was going to meet him. But out of his normal humility, he decided to come here and we’ve discussed many issues.
“We discussed step-by-step challenges like the challenges in Rivers State. And I feel highly appreciative of what he is doing as a leader of the opposition. Because whether we like it or not, he is the leader of the opposition now in Nigeria.”
Governor Bala Mohammed expressed his readiness to collaborate with Peter Obi, emphasizing the need for unity and good governance. He stated, “I am ready to work with Peter Obi to ensure we come together, close ranks, and bring good governance to the country. We will provide a vibrant opposition with knowledge, timelines, and vision to rescue and recover our country from mediocre leaders.”
The former Federal Capital Territory minister highlighted the importance of opposition parties working together to achieve their objectives. “The time has come for us to step out and act with sincerity and focus. Our coming together sends a strong message, and our colleague governors support this journey because it’s a transcendental one,” he said.
Peter Obi explained that he was consulting with Mohammed as a key figure in Nigerian politics. He emphasized the need to address issues in the North and tackle poverty to solve criminality. “We need to invest in critical areas such as education and agriculture to lift Nigerians out of poverty and address criminality. The political space should focus on hunger, poverty, education, and health,” Obi added.
Obi revealed that the Thursday meeting was a precursor to further engagements with Mohammed to discuss the country’s future.
Meanwhile, Nasir El-Rufai disclosed that he had former President Muhammadu Buhari’s consent to leave the APC. In an interview with BBC Hausa service, El-Rufai stated, “I left the APC with Buhari’s full knowledge. I consulted with him on all my matters.”
El-Rufai claimed to know individuals who paid for ministerial appointments in Tinubu’s cabinet. “I know people who paid to get ministerial appointments,” he said when asked if he left the APC because he was not appointed as a minister.
He argued that the party abandoned him and its original ideals, stating that those who worked for the party were not recognized or rewarded. El-Rufai also mentioned that he has political mentors, with Muhammadu Buhari being his primary godfather.
Former President Buhari, however, stressed that he remained loyal to the APC and would continue working to popularize the party.
Buhari Reaffirms Loyalty to APC Amid Opposition Coalition Talks
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that he remains committed to popularizing the party. In a statement signed by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari declared, “I am an APC member, and I like to be addressed as such. I will try to popularize the party by all means.”
When asked if he regretted supporting President Bola Tinubu, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai replied, “I haven’t regretted it, but I have been taken by surprise.” He explained that his support for Tinubu was based on the need to address political marginalization of Muslims in the southwest and to ensure fairness by zoning the 2023 presidential seat to the Southern part of Nigeria.
The National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Ladipo Johnson, confirmed that the party and its 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, were engaging in consultations with other parties to unseat Tinubu. Johnson emphasized the need for opposition parties to come together to address the mismanagement of the economy and other issues.
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) also confirmed ongoing consultations to form a coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election. CUPP National Secretary Peter Ahmeh stated that only a proven southern candidate could defeat Tinubu and identified Peter Obi as the most capable candidate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has repeatedly stressed the importance of unity among opposition parties. He revealed that he was working to unite opposition parties in a coalition to remove the APC from power.
The Labour Party (LP) National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated that the party’s National Working Committee was not involved in any coalition discussions. He noted that Peter Obi, in his capacity, could engage with like-minded individuals, but no formal coalition talks had been pursued by the party leadership.
Buhari reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC, stating that he would never abandon the party that gave him the platform to serve as Nigeria’s leader for two consecutive terms. He expressed gratitude for the support he received from the party and emphasized the importance of cherishing and nurturing the sacrifices made by the founding fathers to establish a strong party to protect the constitution and democracy.
