Akin Osuntokun, former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, has expressed doubts about the potential success of a proposed opposition coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Recently, a group of opposition figures announced plans to form an alliance to challenge Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the next presidential race.
However, Osuntokun, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stated in an interview with an NAN correspondent that such political alliances are not unprecedented in Nigeria—but he remains unconvinced this one will gain traction against the President.
He described Tinubu as a seasoned political strategist, adept at maneuvering through complex political landscapes.
According to Osuntokun, Tinubu not only possesses the advantage of incumbency but will also leverage it effectively should he choose to seek re-election in 2027.
“If he (Tinubu) could win an election (against all odds) when he was not President, you can imagine now when he is the President.
“I would not bet on the chances of the opposition. Tinubu seems to have a lot of cards to play at his disposal, and he is experienced and he is a master in terms of political strategy during elections.
“So, I would not bet against him. However, my advice for the opposition leaders coming together is to pick a presidential candidate from the South.
“If they pick a candidate from the North, they are going to run against the obstacle of the North South rotational presidency principle,” Osuntokun said.
According to him, Tinubu clearly has far more capacity to mobilise for the election than any other individual or group.
“The opposition leaders have Tinubu as a formidable opponent, who is going to ensure that he goes all out and wins the election,” Osuntokun said.
He, however, said there was nothing wrong with forming a coalition to challenge the government at the centre so long the participants would be faithful and committed to goals of the alliance.
“For any political party, to effectively challenge the power at the centre, it requires coming together to form a grand party, in order to stand a better chance of having their objective being realised.
“So, to that extent, they (opposition leaders and parties) are right and correct with their planned formation of a coalition,” he added.
He cited the APC’s victory against Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in 2015 an example of coalitions that had worked in the country’s political history.
Osuntokun, however,warned that the coalition might hit the rocks if the participants fail to agree on the means or method to select its presidential candidate.
He said that the presidential ambitions of the certain figures in the coalition could affect their willingness to reach a compromise.
“So, this is going to be a test of the durability and potency of the coalition,” he said.
He advised the coalition leaders, especially those from the north, to shelve their personal ambitions and work for the emergence of a southern candidate ,to ensure the success of the coalition.
“If the party ticket goes to a politician from the north, like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, he is going to be running against the principle or the convention that had been adopted since 1999 : the power rotation between the North and South.
“So, he is going to violate that convention,and to that extent, he is going to lose support from the intelligentsia, and it will be very a hard sell,” he said.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Friday ,at a meeting of key opposition leaders, announced the formation of a coalition, aimed at unseating Tinubu in 2027.
Atiku made the declaration during a news conference in Abuja, attended by several opposition politicians, including former APC members ,who have since defected.
Among those at the even were the 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who was represented by Dr Yunusa Tanko; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai ,among others.
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