Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election is already shaping up to be a high-stakes contest, with various opposition figures coming together to form a formidable coalition aimed at unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the forefront of this movement is a coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has aligned with other political heavyweights including former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal; former governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Segun Sowunmi; former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman; Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri; Chief Peter Ameh; and Soni Monidafe.
Announced last week by Atiku, the coalition is being touted as a potential game-changer in the build-up to the 2027 general elections. Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has declared his commitment to leading a united front to challenge the APC and its presidential candidate.
Other prominent figures, including Lawal, Waziri, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, are also reportedly aligning with the coalition’s goals.
The primary objective of the coalition is to consolidate opposition forces and present a credible alternative to the ruling party. However, the question of who will emerge as the coalition’s presidential candidate remains unresolved and is expected to be decided through internal primaries once the coalition formalizes its structure.
According to political economist and opposition figure Pat Utomi, several disenchanted members of both the APC and PDP are in talks to join the coalition.
“The Social Democratic Party that you have referred to is a work in progress. About five other parties are going through similar processes. Also bear in mind that large numbers are preparing to leave the APC and PDP and have been reaching out. But the core must be firmly fixed,” Utomi said.
Coalition-building is not new in Nigerian politics. The current ruling APC itself was born out of such an alliance. In 2013, parties including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the new PDP (nPDP) came together to form the APC, which went on to defeat the then-ruling PDP in the 2015 presidential election. It marked the first time an opposition party unseated an incumbent government in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Read Also;
- Anti-Tinubu coalition accuses INEC of blocking new party registration – Lukman
- 2027: Atiku denies defection rumour, seeks coalition to dislodge APC
- INEC sets up committee for 2027 election planning
However, previous coalition efforts have met with mixed success. In 1964, the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) — formed by the Action Group (AG) and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) — attempted to challenge the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) but failed to achieve its goals. Similarly, in 2003, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) formed an alliance to oppose the PDP but were unsuccessful in their efforts.
As the 2027 elections approach, it remains to be seen whether this new coalition can replicate the APC’s 2015 success or falter like its predecessors. Much will depend on its ability to unite behind a single candidate and platform.
Meanwhile, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau has expressed skepticism about the viability of the coalition. In a statement obtained by The New Daily Prime, he said:
“This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership
