2027: How Opposition Disunity Could Play In Tinubu’s Favour

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Samson Elijah, Abuja; ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna and Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu
There is rising interest wrong absorption ranks astir a apt repetition of the 2023 scenario, successful which its divided led to a constrictive but strategical triumph for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, President Bola Tinubu.
Feelers from absorption camps bespeak that members are disquieted it volition beryllium hard to unseat the ruling APC successful 2027 unless cardinal figures forgo their egos and idiosyncratic ambitions.
Sources who spoke with LEADERSHIP Sunday connected information of anonymity said the interest that an unhealthy tussle for the party’s statesmanlike summons mightiness jeopardise a agreed absorption beforehand has been rife wrong their circles.
They judge that absorption leaders refusing to enactment up down a azygous campaigner oregon level could perchance manus Tinubu an easier triumph compared to the 2023 election.
This script is already compounded by fragmented absorption governmental platforms, including the PDP, ADC, LP, SDP, and ADA, immoderate of which are engulfed successful interior crises.
In the 2023 election, Tinubu, arsenic the APC candidate, won the statesmanlike predetermination with 8,794,726 votes.
He was followed by Atiku, who got 6,984,520 votes, and Obi, who scored 6,101,533 votes. Kwankwaso of the NNPP came a distant 4th with 1,496,687 votes.
However, Tinubu, Atiku, and Obi each won 12 states, portion Kwankwaso won lone Kano State.
Ahead of the 2027 election, President Tinubu is already successful rod presumption to beryllium the APC candidate, pursuing endorsements by the organs and leaders of the APC. The opposition, connected the different hand, has yet to forge a agreed beforehand amid an array of apt contenders.
So far, those who person shown involvement from absorption ranks are erstwhile vice president Atiku Abubakar, erstwhile Labour Party statesmanlike campaigner Peter Obi, erstwhile curate of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and erstwhile statesmanlike campaigner and concern mogul Dr Olawepo-Hashim.
Although helium has yet to formally remark connected his adjacent move, indications are beardown that erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan volition contention the 2027 election.
In the build-up to the 2015 election, the merger of now-defunct parties, namely Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a fraction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) energised the hitherto fragmented absorption to decision the then-ruling PDP

PDP Still Lost successful the Woods Ahead of Convention
The erstwhile ruling enactment has been bedevilled by a bid of crises since losing the 2015 election, which escalated aft the 2023 election, starring to wide defections of members, including 2 sitting governors and respective serving national and authorities lawmakers.
Although the enactment is preparing for a nationalist normal successful November, interior rifts culminating successful a divided wrong the National Working Committee (NWC) stay a large concern.
What’s more, the clamour by enactment chieftains specified arsenic erstwhile Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana, for Jonathan and Obi to instrumentality and apt instrumentality the enactment summons is facing resistance.
PDP statesmanlike hopeful Olawepo-Hashim has insisted that the enactment should nutrient its champion campaigner and not beryllium held backmost by zoning.
Olawepo-Hashim maintained, “I americium not averse to Jonathan and Obi returning to the PDP. However, the enactment should not beryllium railroaded into handing the summons to a ‘selected candidate’ without transparent and just primaries unfastened to each members.”
Also, the PDP bloc loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has opposed the instrumentality of Jonathan and Obi to instrumentality the enactment ticket. Despite remaining successful the PDP, the campy has since pledged to enactment Tinubu’s second-term ambition successful 2027.

Ego Battle successful ADC
The conflict for who gets the conjugation absorption party’s statesmanlike summons is simply a large interest for its stakeholders.
This overmuch was hinted by an ADC chieftain and erstwhile nationalist vice president of the APC, Lukeman Salihu, who past week noted that the conflict for power of the party’s operation posed a large menace to ADC’s potency.
Also, erstwhile vice president Atiku Abubakar powerfully dismissed immoderate insinuations that helium would measurement down for immoderate campaigner up of 2027.
Obi has besides declared that helium would not beryllium a moving mate to immoderate candidate.
However, astatine their gathering past week, the apical contenders agreed to enactment whoever emerges arsenic the party’s candidate.

Labour Party, NNPP successful Disarray
Like the PDP, the Labour Party has been bogged down by a enactment situation since the 2023 election. At the tallness of the ineligible battle, 4 blocs laid assertion to the party’s leadership.
The main contention is present betwixt the Julius Abure campy and the campy led by erstwhile curate of finance, Esther Nenadi Usman, who enjoys the backing of...