Former Governor of Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal has said that opposition unity will be a critical factor in defeating President Bola Tinubu if he seeks re-election in 2027.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Tambuwal noted that while a united opposition could more easily unseat Tinubu, the outcome would become less certain if multiple heavyweight candidates such as former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former Kano governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso were to contest on the same ballot.
“It will be easier for the opposition to come together and defeat Tinubu, but it is not certain that if Bola Tinubu runs, Goodluck Jonathan runs, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso run on the same ballot that Tinubu will win,” Tambuwal said.
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In a strategic move in June during a high-level Abuja meeting, top opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku, Obi, and ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai, resolved to adopt the ADC as their coalition vehicle for the 2027 presidential election
The coalition has drawn support from diverse groups, insisting it is designed to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative to APC dominance.
However, the ruling APC has dismissed the development, with President Tinubu describing it as a “coalition of confusion,” while some critics, including the African Action Congress (AAC), have called it an alliance of political elites without grassroots legitimacy.
When asked whether Tinubu could exploit split votes to his advantage, Tambuwal maintained that the political climate would shift significantly once candidates officially declare.
“When this happens, the dynamics will be different, and things will change. A lot of factors will influence the way people vote,” he added.
Pressed on who he would personally support in 2027 if figures like Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, and Atiku Abubakar were on the ballot, Tambuwal declined to commit, saying he would reveal his choice when the candidates formally announce their ambitions.