The Presidency has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi as posing no credible threat to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects in 2027.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made this known during an appearance on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television, on Thursday.
He maintained that Mr Tinubu’s achievements in office would serve as his most effective campaign tool.
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Mr Onanuga also downplayed the relevance of the emerging opposition coalition reportedly forming under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) does not view it as a serious challenge.
“They are free to form alliances, but as far as the APC is concerned, we are not seeing them as any threat,” Mr Onanuga stated during the broadcast.
He further stated, “If you merge Peter Obi and Atiku, there is no way the two of them can beat a Bola Tinubu and Shettima ticket. It is going to be impossible.”
The presidential aide criticised the new coalition for ‘jumping the gun’, emphasizing that it is ‘not yet time for politicking.’
He also clarified that Mr Tinubu, who supports freedom of speech and expression, has no involvement in any internal challenges currently faced by the ADC.
Mr Onanuga noted that the President was not even in Nigeria when their internal issues reportedly began.
When questioned about the potential strength that Mr Atiku and Mr Obi might bring to the ADC coalition, Mr Onanuga drew a comparison to past electoral performances.
“Atiku has been in the race more than Mr Tinubu and Obi”, he responded, pointing out that Mr Atiku has ‘tried several times to become president, but he always fails at the gate.’
Mr Onanuga suggested that considering Nigeria’s political configuration, Mr Atiku’s previous attempts to leverage regional sentiment in the South were unsuccessful.
He also doubted that having Mr Obi as a running mate would guarantee the same level of votes Obi garnered during his own presidential bid.
Mr Onanuga highlighted what he described as Mr Tinubu’s significant positive impact on the North, particularly through appointments.
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“In terms of appointments, he has appointed people from the North-West and North-East into good positions, and I think in politics, a good turn deserves a response from people who are beneficiaries of Tinubu’s government,” he said.
He dismissed the current ‘noise’ in the political landscape as inconsistent with the realities on the ground, insisting that ‘People are benefitting from the Tinubu-led government, and at the right time, Mr Tinubu will tap into that— people under him have enjoyed.’
