The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Growth, Festus Keyamo SAN, has dismissed options of a political coalition succeeding in unseating President Bola Tinubu within the 2027 normal elections, describing such an effort as “unattainable.”
Talking on Channels Tv’s Politics At this time on Monday, Keyamo mentioned the much-touted coalition plans by some political elite amounted to “a storm in a teacup” and wouldn’t face up to the power of the construction of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“There isn’t any tsunami coming,” he declared. “I believe it’s a storm in a teacup. I respect these folks, however in the event you take a look at the political historical past of Nigeria… I’ve campaigned for 2 presidents, so I’ve information of the demography. It’s unattainable so that you can do a coalition now to unseat the current President (Tinubu).”
Keyamo was responding to feedback by Labour Social gathering chief Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed and different northern figures, together with former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and former vice chairman Atiku Abubakar, who’ve hinted at forming an opposition coalition.
Baba-Ahmed had accused the Tinubu administration of permitting widespread issues and urged Nigerians to look elsewhere in 2027.
Some members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Social gathering (PDP) have been additionally rumoured to be contemplating becoming a member of forces. Nevertheless, a number of PDP governors have publicly rejected this concept.
Learn Additionally: Delta can’t afford to work towards Tinubu in 2027, says Oborevwori
A former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, referred to as the coalition talks “a useless horse” and “a waste of time”.
When requested if Tinubu’s APC may face up to the alleged political “tsunami” being organised towards it, Keyamo insisted that coalition talks have been both misguided or too late.
“There are two various things they’re speaking about — a merger or an alliance. They need to be very clear. If it’s a merger, neglect it, as a result of it’s too late to start out a merger now,” he defined.
“With the method you must undergo — to register, get a brand new id and all that — and with elections simply across the nook by subsequent yr’s finish, it’s not possible.”
Keyamo recalled how after the 2011 elections, President Tinubu rapidly started merger talks with then-Normal Muhammadu Buhari, a course of he mentioned took years of negotiations, conferences, and conventions.
“The second we misplaced the 2011 elections, Tinubu flew to Kaduna and met Normal (Muhammadu) Buhari. It was an extended course of earlier than the APC was birthed.
“These folks (present coalition proponents) should not skilled sufficient,” he mentioned.
“The President you might be seeing now has gone by way of all of those, so he’s simply smiling and taking a look at all of them; he understands,” he added.
Relating to the affect of mass actions, significantly Peter Obi’s 2023 Obidient motion, Keyamo argued, “The Labour Social gathering was constructed round him and the Obidient motion. Return to historical past — even Chief (Obafemi) Awolowo and Dr (Nnamdi) Azikiwe, regardless of being heroes, couldn’t overcome the complexities of Nigerian elections with out constructions.”
Keyamo dismissed options that youth mobilisation would possibly threaten Tinubu’s re-election probabilities.
“Beneath what platform?” he questioned. “Did you see what occurred within the 2023 elections?
“Regardless of the naira redesign coverage and petroleum shortage that have been towards our social gathering, the constructions of the APC held agency. It was like a home constructed on strong rock,” the minister added.
Keyamo additional famous that President Tinubu enjoys “extra mates within the North than within the South-West,” which he mentioned would once more be vital within the upcoming election.
Following Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s current defection to the APC, Keyamo introduced he had given up social gathering management within the state to the Governor.
“Whether or not I’ve to make sacrifices like yesterday, the place we surrendered (social gathering management in Delta), it’s all irrelevant as long as we’re strengthening APC, the extra for the re-election of Mr President,” he mentioned.

