As political realignments continue ahead of the 2027 general election, there is pressure on the opposition coalition movement to address grey areas around their personal ambitions and the platform with which to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s second term ambition.
A former presidential candidate, Chief Martin Onovo, underscored this reality when he warned that it would be difficult for any single opposition party to defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
He, however, noted that only a strong alliance of opposition parties can defeat President Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government in 2027.
But the national chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Okey Ralph Nwosu, however told LEADERSHIP that the key actors in the coalition movement had agreed to work for whoever emerges as its candidate.
Meanwhile, former minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, however said the coalition delegation had met with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) leadership.
Dalung, a SDP chieftain, however said he was yet to get the details of the discussion.
The coalition movement has been faced with key hurdles, significant of which are the presidential ambitions of key actors and the choice of party to adopt for the coalition.
Series of committees have been set up by different coalition fronts to forge the best outcomes for a united platform to defeat President Tinubu, whose consolidation for 2027 has seen massive defections from the opposition platform into the ruling APC.
With the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) having repeatedly excluded themselves from the coalition movement, the SDP and ADC are considered options that may be adopted by the opposition leaders.
The League of Northern Democrats (LND), which also declared support for the coalition movement, has, however, resolved to form a new party for fear that fusing into an existing platform would most likely end in a conflagration over control of structures.
Eminent leaders of the coalition are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party president candidate, Peter Obi, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, former minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, former Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal; former national chairman of APC and ex-governor of Edo State, Chief John Oyegun and former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola.
The coalition movement also draws sympathies from prominent PDP, LP, and APC members, like Chief Ben Obi, and former attorney general and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
No single party can defeat Tinubu in 2027
Meanwhile, former presidential candidate of the defunct National Conscience Party, Chief Martin Onovo, said it will be difficult for any single opposition party to defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Onovo, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos, said the only way to defeat the APC in the next presidential election is a strong alliance of opposition parties against the ruling party.
Onovo described the coalition being championed by a former Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other like-minded leaders to challenge Tinubu in 2027 as a step in the right direction.
“I was the brain behind the largest coalition ever in the fourth Republic which birthed the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and I can tell you that coalition is the only way, because a united minority is stronger than a divided majority.
“The coalition will win the 2027 election with 99 per cent votes if it is not self- sabotaged.
“Take it to bank: it will not fail; it will succeed and defeat the ruling party convincingly, if they do it well.
“If the coalition is not self-sabotaged, it will be difficult for APC to return in 2027,” Onovo, also an activist and Head of Policy Positions, Movement for Fundamental Change, said.
On the mid-year assessment of the present administration, Onovo said not much had been achieved in the area of security and provision of basic needs to the masses.
He urged Tinubu to use the remaining years of his first term to do more to tackle security challenges and improve living standards.
Onovo also advised Tinubu to strengthen his cabinet with technocrats and competent people in order to fulfil his campaign promises to Nigerians effectively.
“The president needs to be clear about his objectives; he should be all out to better the welfare and security of ordinary Nigerians in the city and remotest areas.
“We need competent people in positions, not loyalists. Let us get the right people, right strategies and ethical environment, while the president provides leadership and takes responsibility.
“We need the right commanders with strategies in security and economy to end insecurity and suffering. We must not sacrifice performance for loyalty,” Onovo said.
Onovo also urged the president to fight corruption more vigorously and reduce inequality index, which he blamed for insecurity and social tensions.
Keys Actors Have Agreed To Work Together – ADC Chairman
Reacting to concerns of personal ambition hampering the coalition movement, the ADC national chairman, Nwosu, said all the key actors have agreed to set aside their ambition and support whoever gets the ticket transparently.
“They all have agreed and signed up to work together and support any one candidate within the coalition that emerges as candidate. The important thing is to make the process transparent,” Nwosu told LEADERSHIP.
Although they are yet to declare their ambitions, Atiku, Obi and Amaechi are speculated to be interested in flying the coalition’s flag.
Defectors are conclave of sinners seeking forgiveness – Dalung
Confirming that the SDP was still in coalition talks, former minister of youths and sports development, Solomon Dalung, said its delegation met with SDP leadership recently.
When asked if SDP was still in the coalition, he said: “This question will better be answered by the leadership of the party because I can only speak from the perspective as somebody who is aware of the developments in the coalition.
“I am aware that the coalition delegation met with the SDP leadership but I am yet to get the details of that discussion. I think that will be made public in due course, but like I said earlier, I may not be able to say much about that.”
He however described the gale of defections sweeping across the Nigeria political landscape with the majority moving into the ruling APC as the gathering of sinners.
He said it is not a sign that the ruling party has performed well, rather they are sinners, who are seeking forgiveness for their numerous sins.
He noted that they are only fulfilling what a former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole said regarding corrupt politicians: they will be forgiven once they join the APC.
“These are people who have committed heinous crimes against the Nigerian people and they are jumping into the APC ship for the forgiveness of their sins. Not that they believe in Tinubu, no; they do not. They are only assembling so that their sins will be forgiven.
“So it is a conclave of political cardinals who have committed grave sins against the Nigerian people and a political party has offered them the opportunity of forgiveness on entrance,” he said.
He added that the defections would not add any value to President Bola Tinubu; instead the defectors would create problems in the party in future.
He also dismissed concern in certain quarters that the entrance of politicians like former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai into the SDP could be a potential threat to the presidential ambition of Prince Adewole Adebayo, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
He said Adebayo’s political charisma, image and personality within the Nigerian political environment has presented him as an obvious force to deal with in 2027.
He emphasized that apart from that, he is the only presidential candidate who has consistently maintained a media campaign against the failed and unpopular policies of the current government.
“So, Nigerians are very conversant with Adebayo’s voice, charisma and leadership qualities. So, whether you mobilise the whole politicians into the SDP, you must resolve the question of Adebayo in the SDP as a presidential candidate before any other person.
“This is because nobody has promoted the SDP in Nigeria like Adebayo. After Chief MKO Abiola, you rank Adebayo in the contemporary SDP as the highest. So, the concern as some people are expressing is normal. Human beings entertain such fears but the reality is that the name SDP since 2023 has been sustained unilaterally by the doggedness, commitment, dedication and selflessness of Prince Adebayo.
“So, he is a force to beat in whatever political arrangement that the SDP will put on ground to produce a presidential candidate. He is a patriot who did not join politics for himself; he has surrendered the rest of his life to the service of humanity and he did that at his 50th birthday.
“So, he is not into politics because it must be him; he is into politics to ensure that good governance, justice, the rule of law, equity and fairness is reintroduced and reinforced in the governance structure of Nigeria. So, even if he lost in a free, fair, and transparent electoral process, he will still be a team player in the struggle for a better Nigeria,” he stated.
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