With President Bola Tinubu barely two years into his tenure, Nigeria’s political heavyweights are already making moves for 2027.
The usual suspects are back at the drawing board, forming coalitions and rekindling old alliances—all with one goal: to dethrone the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
What makes this political maneuvering even more intriguing is the involvement of some of Tinubu’s former allies, now seemingly bent on cutting ties and changing the narrative.
The Plot Thickens
According to a report by the Nigerian Tribune on Saturday, February 8, Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adebayo Adewole argues that Nigeria doesn’t need a new political party to remove Tinubu—what the country needs, he insists, is a complete shift in mindset.
In his view, swapping parties without changing the political culture will just be an exercise in futility.
His words: “Political parties are merely vehicles for mobilizing opinions and shaping governance. But without a new approach to politics, even a brand-new party will still deliver the same old problems.”
The Call for a Political Overhaul
Salihu Lukman, former APC vice-chairman (North-West), echoes this sentiment but takes it a step further.
He’s urging key opposition figures—including ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader Rabiu Kwankwaso—to shelve their 2027 presidential ambitions. Instead, he wants them to focus on building a robust alternative party that can go head-to-head with the APC.
Lukman didn’t stop there. He also called on former APC stalwarts like Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi, and Aminu Tambuwal to join forces and prioritize party-building over personal aspirations.
In his view, the political class has largely failed in presenting credible alternatives, and without real groundwork, the opposition’s ambitions will crumble before they even take off.
Opposition Figures Eye New Openings
The jostling for 2027 is already heating up. Reports indicate that Atiku recently paid a visit to Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (popularly known as Binani), the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 Adamawa State election. The meeting has fueled speculations about a broader opposition coalition in the making.
With Tinubu’s critics growing louder and internal party rifts deepening, political realignments are becoming inevitable.
What’s Next?
With former allies turning into rivals and fresh alliances emerging, the road to 2027 is shaping up to be a high-stakes battle.
Will the opposition manage to put their egos aside and present a united front? Or will history repeat itself, with fragmented ambitions handing the APC another easy victory?
This article was updated 2 days ago
