By Ayomide Otitoju
As Nigeria gears up for the 2027 general elections, political realignments are intensifying, highlighted by an emerging opposition coalition reportedly involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (PDP), ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai (Social Democratic Party).
The trio aims to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, presenting a united front under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party gaining renewed prominence after official registration by INEC in 2006 and past endorsements from figures like former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
However, the coalition faces significant hurdles. Insider sources reveal ongoing internal friction, rooted in divergent ideologies, regional loyalties, and leadership styles — the political equivalent of oil and water that do not blend easily. Reports indicate that these differences have already weakened the coalition’s coherence and voter appeal.
The coalition’s initial attempt to rally under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) faltered amid infighting and resistance from SDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo, who has firmly refused to step down for Atiku, underscoring the increasing fragmentation within Nigeria’s opposition landscape.
Security concerns surrounding key figures such as El-Rufai and Obi further complicate the alliance’s cohesion, while the APC remains confident, leveraging incumbency advantages and a wary stance toward the opposition’s viability.
Political analysts suggest that the coalition’s success will depend heavily on its ability to reconcile differences, build grassroots support, and present a unified agenda capable of mobilizing voters disillusioned by past low turnout.
Until such consolidation is achieved, the opposition coalition risks remaining a fractured front, vulnerable to the very divisions it seeks to overcome in challenging APC’s dominance.
