- Presidency: Atiku, Obi No Match for Tinubu
By John Paul
A former Osun State Governor and interim national secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, Rauf Aregbesola, has declared that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will be defeated in the 2027 general elections—if opposition forces unite under a single platform. But the Presidency swiftly hit back, dismissing the possibility and insisting that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi pose no threat to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election chances.
Aregbesola made the bold claim during a stakeholders’ meeting with party members in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Thursday. He announced that the ADC is spearheading a broad political coalition made up of progressive-leaning Nigerians and key opposition figures, with the aim of unseating Tinubu in 2027.
“Let us put personal ambitions aside and unite. We have three major elections ahead, presidential, National Assembly, and gubernatorial, and if we work together, we cannot be defeated,” Aregbesola told the crowd.
He disclosed that the coalition has received significant moral and political support from both Atiku and Obi, who he said are backing the ADC-led initiative to chart a new course for Nigeria.
The former Minister of Interior also warned that the APC would deploy “coordinated propaganda” to weaken the coalition, and urged ADC members to remain steadfast and avoid being drawn into distractions. “The battle will be fierce, but our unity is our shield,” he said.
Adding his voice, Hon. Gbenga Edema, a former NNPP governorship candidate in Ondo State, accused the APC of creating internal crises within the ADC to delegitimize its coalition efforts. “The court cases being hyped by the media are empty shells. They are part of a wider campaign to derail our movement,” Edema said.
Also at the event was Hon. Akin Akinbobola, former aide to ex-Governor Olusegun Mimiko and former APC stalwart, who painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s current condition. “Insecurity, hunger, joblessness, and a total collapse of infrastructure have left Nigerians gasping. The ADC is emerging as the platform to restore hope and rescue the country from the brink,” he said.
Akinbobola added that more than ten political parties have already aligned with the coalition in recent strategy sessions, predicting a “political tsunami” ahead of 2027. “What we’re building is massive. The challenge is managing its scale, not finding support,” he noted.
The Akure event marked a significant public escalation of ADC’s coalition efforts, tapping into growing public frustration over economic hardship and insecurity under the APC-led federal government.
In a sharp rebuttal, however, the Presidency dismissed the opposition alliance as hollow and ineffective. Speaking during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, declared that neither Atiku nor Obi stands a realistic chance of defeating Tinubu.
“They are free to form alliances, but as far as the APC is concerned, they pose no threat. Merge Atiku and Obi, and they still can’t beat a Tinubu-Shettima ticket. It’s simply impossible,” Onanuga said.
He accused the ADC of “jumping the gun,” insisting that the time for politicking had not arrived. According to him, President Tinubu’s achievements will speak for him when the campaign season begins.
“President Tinubu is focused on delivering results, and many Nigerians,especially in the North, are already benefiting from his leadership,” Onanuga added. “The political noise we’re hearing doesn’t reflect the reality on the ground.”
Dismissing claims that Tinubu is behind the ADC’s internal troubles, Onanuga said the President was not even in the country when the factional crisis within the party erupted. “He has no hand in it. Tinubu believes in free speech and political expression, even when it’s critical,” he said.
Asked if Atiku and Obi could change the 2027 equation, Onanuga replied: “Atiku has been contesting elections since 1993. He has lost every time. In 2023, he tried to play the ethnic card in the South, and it failed. Obi may have been popular in 2023, but pairing him with Atiku won’t yield the same numbers.”
He further argued that President Tinubu’s inclusive appointments and reforms have endeared him to key regions in the North, and this goodwill would translate into electoral support in 2027. “In politics, a good turn deserves another. People won’t forget what Tinubu has done for them,” he said.