Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, political tensions are building in Nigeria as the country struggles with inflation and economic instability.
President Bola Tinubu, who took office in 2023, is currently dealing with growing resistance from a wide range of powerful political players who want to prevent him from running for reelection.
Widespread public discontent and mounting worries about policy shortcomings have prompted the president’s detractors to band together in an effort to block his plans for a second term.
Tinubu is charged with advancing policies that are hostile to the people, failing to alleviate economic hardship, and supposedly transforming the nation into a one-party state.
Some of the well-known politicians opposing Tinubu’s reelection campaign are as follows:
Obi Peter
The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has declared his intention to run again in 2027. Obi has been looking into coalition options and has not wavered in his desire to change Nigeria’s political environment.
Obi formed a coalition with prominent politicians Nasir El-Rufai and Atiku Abubakar in March with the goal of posing a serious threat to Tinubu in the next elections.
Although neither side has formally confirmed the deal, reports also indicate that Obi would be amenable to running as Atiku’s vice presidential candidate in a one-term power-sharing pact.
Abubakar Atiku
Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president who ran for office in 2023 under the PDP, is not showing any indications of leaving politics. Atiku, like Obi, is a key player in the opposition alliance that is forming with the goal of overthrowing Tinubu in 2027.
According to reports, Atiku has suggested a one-term presidency with Obi as his running mate, which has stoked rumors of a calculated alliance to win over more opposition support. There was a lot of discussion regarding the coalition’s ability to bring the opposition together and take on the ruling party once it was announced in March.
Makinde Seyi
Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, has not ruled out running for president. Makinde asserted in April that he is capable of leading Nigeria, but he made it clear that the wishes of Nigerians and his party will determine whether or not he ran for office.
“I don’t doubt my ability to hold the highest office in this country,” Makinde said, “but is what I want to do right now what Nigerians are asking for?”
A support group called the Brave New Vision Support Group has started advocating for his candidacy as a result of his increasing influence inside the PDP. In strategic sites around Kano State, campaign posters bearing the slogan “To Move Nigeria Forward 2027” have begun to appear.
El-Rufai Nasir
One of the most vocal opponents of Tinubu’s government has been Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State. El-Rufai has affirmed that talks are still going on to build a strong opposition coalition to run against the president in 2027.
“Anyone who believes that President Bola Tinubu can be re-elected is living in another country, not Nigeria,” El-Rufai recently said. I don’t see him getting anywhere, regardless of how disorganized the opposition is. According to El-Rufai, Tinubu’s base of support has been severely damaged by the nation’s political and economic circumstances.
Lawal Babachir
Another well-known advocate in the anti-Tinubu campaign is former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal. Lawal is a major player in the planning for the 2027 elections and is actively participating in coalition negotiations.
Amaechi Rotimi and Imoke Liyel
Other key players in the anti-Tinubu movement are former governors Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.
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Imoke is in charge of a group looking into building alliances with already-existing political parties, while Amaechi is in charge of a committee tasked with creating a new party. Their contributions are essential to establishing the coalition’s program, which is gathering steam ahead of the 2027 elections.
Nwosu Ralph
The notion that Tinubu is unbeatable in 2027 has been sharply disputed by Ralph Nwosu, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In a recent interview, Nwosu highlighted the pervasive discontent in the nation, stating, “The country is being consumed by poverty and insecurity brought on by poor governance.” The APC governments have been a complete failure. The APC is a delusional party. “They will use their broom to sweep themselves out, or we get the citizens to do it,” he continued.
