2027: One of Peter Obi, Atiku, El-Rufai, Tambuwal, Jonathan under consideration for Presidential Candidate…plus others issues

By KEMI KASUMU and OUR REPORTERS, Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Oshogbo, and Port Harcourt

“Finally let me say to you, and at least two of you here are Yoruba, that under Buhari, all attacks in Nigeria were always tagged against and blamed on Fulani herdsmen because the President was Fulani. So sad that even now that Fulani are not even among the first 20 most powerful of the Yoruba President’s administration, whereas you cannot even tag the attacks especially in the South any longer against Fulani herdsmen, Yoruba politicians and traditional leaders have always found a way to push blames of the national woes currently unleashed on the country by their own man upon Fulani, which is why the loudest campaign now is about Fulani hiding under Islam to capture Yoruba Land. How?” The apparently aggrieved political source said.

The DEFENDER can comfortably report that the rescue mission to achieve a re-engineered hope of a better country embarked upon by a new coalition of politicians from across political parties and groups Nigerians is at top gear.

This move became a more glaring reality during the two-day ‘national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria” held in Abuja between Monday January 27 and Tuesday January 28, 2025, where frank comments were uttered by the likes of former Kaduna, Rivers and Sokoto states governors (Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, respectively).

Where El-Rufai, a very unpretending politician of the Muhammadu Buhari-led Campaign for Democratic Change (CPC) political family, wrapped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) up as a party with ideals now jettisoned by people he called “illiterates” running its affairs, Amaechi, an unputdownable stakeholder in the formation of and 2015 electoral victory of APC, warn d Nigerians that to Tinubu, a known apostle of “Power not given A La Carte”, will not give them power in 2027 unless they fight for it.

The conference, which was a coming together not only of opposition parties in coalition but also leaders of the ruling APC, ended forming the idea charting a new course for what shape electioneering process would take in the next general election with message from the nation’s capital event still resonating across circles of Nigerians.

After the conference, key political leaders from Northern Nigeria and other stakeholders across the country have now reportedly agreed to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a viable opposition platform against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

Media investigations indicated that a broad coalition of political leaders — from both the North and South — have been meeting over the past three months and concluded that the PDP can no longer serve as an effective vehicle to drive the course of opposition during the election already made to achieve a transition process.

A committee was reportedly set up in late December 2024 to finalize the formation of a new mega party, with a late February deadline to announce the party’s structure.

According to a media report, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and other smaller registered parties have been suggested for consideration as platform for the coalition against the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The DEFENDER recalls fiery Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai had recently exposed how the PDP was being targeted for destruction by the Tinubu-led APC Federal Government.

“The PDP is not featuring prominently in the calculation because many of its governors are believed to be afraid of President Tinubu and are secretly working for his re-election,” a source disclosed.

Presidential candidate option

While discussions are advancing, there is still no final decision on who will lead the coalition as its presidential candidate.

Several names have emerged as potential flagbearers: Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Former Vice President, PDP’s 2023 candidate); Mr. Peter Obi (Labour Party’s 2023 candidate, former Anambra State Governor); Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Former Governor of Kaduna State); Mr. Rotimi Amaechi (Former Governor of Rivers State, ex-Minister of Transportation); Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Former Governor of Sokoto State, former House of Reps Speaker); Former President Goodluck Jonathan (reportedly being considered as a wildcard option to counter a southern APC candidate)

A source familiar with the discussions stated: “The leaders are considering four or five options while awaiting the 2027 election calendar from INEC in May. Some believe that to successfully challenge APC, a southern candidate like Peter Obi must be involved.”

The recently concluded Democracy Summit in Abuja is also said to be part of the strategic mobilization efforts ahead of the new party’s launch.

According to a source: “The North appears to have settled on a candidate they believe can give the APC a serious challenge in 2027. The coalition is being structured to unite key opposition forces ahead of the election.”

Peter Obi’s factor

Among the names under consideration, Peter Obi is reportedly gaining traction, as some coalition members believe that the alliance cannot succeed without his involvement.

“While Atiku is currently the rallying point for the opposition, Obi and Tambuwal remain key players in the final decision,” a source said.

However, there are concerns about Atiku’s age, as he would be 81 years old by the 2027 elections. Supporters counter this by citing Donald Trump’s continued political relevance in the U.S.

League of Northern Democrats (LND) playing a key role

A new political group, the League of Northern Democrats (LND), led by former Kano State governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, is said to be playing a coordinating role in merging different opposition groups into a unified political force.

With the 2027 elections still over two years away, the opposition’s plans to challenge the APC remain fluid, but the emergence of a new mega party appears increasingly likely.

Factors that will work against Tinubu’s second term

In the meantime, the recent boast that it will be difficult to defeat Bola Tinubu during the 2027 election has been reduced to empty as some political figures, who spoke under condition of anonymity as plans for coalition are ongoing, agreed in their separate submissions that the boast is merely of North Central APC and does not represent the yearnings of the larger proportion of the North and Nigerians of the South.

“Did we not warn you that you and your supporters will not be the only voters at the time in 2027 when you will need our consent for a second term? It sounds funny therefore that APC of North Central, which is just a political party and not even the entire North Central people talk less of entire North, is boasting that nobody can defeat Tinubu in that election. We are going there now together and we shall see,” one of the particularly said to this global online newspaper at the weekend.

Commenting on the current moves by Tinubu to now return to the same former President Muhammadu Buhari whom he, his government officials have attempted to relegate to nothing, for a collaboration towards his electoral victory in the next election, the politician – who refused to be named – wondered that Buhari was quickly so important to President Tinubu again as he now needs him so much that he could send the first eleven of his South West Yoruba traditional institution including the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Enitan as emmisaries to him in his Daura abode.

“He let loose all that matter in his government, albeit without him personally making a single comment in order to play safe, and used them including his National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, Works and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministers Dave Umahi and Nyesom Wike, respectively, who severally vilified President Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2023) in attempt to reduce and render him empty, politically, and turn his immediate past administration to disrepute.

“You are Journalists. Don’t forget so quick that the attempt to kill Dangote Refinery by the administration was part of the effort to erase the footprints of Buhari from the sand of time in the country’s democratic governance accomplishments. Don’t forget so quick how the fuel subsidy removal and naira floating policies that were simply in fulfilment of his own electioneering campaign promises Tinubu shifted the blames to Buhari saying his predecessor removed the subsidy that he only suffered for. He missed the opportunity to tell us the simple truth.

“Remember the reason he is fighting Godwin Emefiele now is because of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor new money policy he said did not have presidential approval. But it was not a hidden thing that Buhari, while in office, said “I approved the policy for Emefiele” and then why is he telling us that Emefiele is being punished because his naira policy had no presidential approval? Now, naira scarcity under Tinubu’s watch is now worse than in Buhari’s time under Emefiele. He also missed that opportunity of telling us the simple truth.

“Currently, to the watch of the same Tinubu and his traditional institution’s first eleven he sent to Daura to appease his now accepted one-man cabal in Muhammadu Buhari, his Yoruba people, groups, politicians and youths are all over the mainstream and social media networks spreading untrue information about how Fulani, Buhari’s tribe by nature of divine creation, are hiding under religion of Islam to capture Yoruba Land simply because leadership of the Muslim Ummah, Buhari’s religious community by nature, urged that the religious values and rights of fellow Muslims in Yoruba Land to practice their religion – which is incomplete without its Shariah law activated – be respected and protected.

“Now, Fulani of Northern Nigeria have become so important to these South West leaders, whose only happiest time is when Yoruba Muslims choose to compromise their relationship with their Lord and saddest time is when they say their Lord is Allah and that their religion is Islam, and they now want those Fulani to give their Tinubu another term as President of Nigeria. It’s alright.

“Finally let me say to you, and at least two of you here are Yoruba, that under Buhari, all attacks in Nigeria were always tagged against and blamed on Fulani herdsmen because the President was Fulani. So sad that even now that Fulani are not even among the first 20 most powerful of the Yoruba President’s administration, whereas you cannot even tag the attacks especially in the South any longer against Fulani herdsmen, Yoruba politicians and traditional leaders have always found a way to push blames of the national woes currently unleashed on the country by their own man upon Fulani, which is why the loudest campaign now is about Fulani hiding under Islam to capture Yoruba Land. How?

“Well, I read an article in your paper by one Russia-based, Orimolagun Obego, who was cautioning that Yoruba is not the only tribe living with Muslims in Nigeria and in the world. It is that bad now but it is the same Fulani they are now courting simply because they want to be trusted with power again. Well, when we get to the bridge, we shall cross it,” the apparently aggrieved politician submitted.

The DEFENDER also learnt that President Bola Tinubu and APC are currently making frantic effort to retain Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and reconcile with them so they do not leave the APC.

The source, also reacting to that, said: “Well, I am not aware of any such move to reconcile with those figures you mentioned. But let me say, when did Tinubu and APC start to remember that it is politically dangerous for them to maltreat their first eleven, presenting them as bad in the eyes of the people, calling them betrayals when they themselves are the real traitors, only for them to now think the best way to prove themselves as master strategists is to reconcile and make them work for their political success again?

“Do you think that is possible? Yes, it is possible for Tinubu, knowing his way of playing politics which cannot pass the test if time in any saner clime, to want to attempt to woo El-Rufai, Amosun, Fayemi and Amaechi, even Rochas Okorocha, back to the APC fold. You can take it to the bank from me that it is not going to work because those figures have gone and have gone forever. Tinubu will be a one-term President and last APC President to rule Nigeria. Write it down,” he concluded.