By Franklin Adole
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally entered the 2027 presidential race, setting up what is shaping up to be a fierce contest against a consolidating opposition bloc anchored on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and key figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Tinubu’s re-election bid was sealed with the purchase of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, valued at N100 million. The forms were picked up in Abuja by James Faleke, who said he acted on behalf of a broad coalition of supporters backing the president’s second-term ambition.
The move signals the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s early mobilisation ahead of primaries now rescheduled for May 23, according to party officials including Suleiman Argungu and Duro Meseko.
But even as Tinubu’s camp projects confidence, the opposition appears to be quietly refining a strategy to avoid the internal fractures that have historically undermined coalition efforts.
In a KTH Daily report on Monday, ADC chieftain Lukman Salihu revealed that the party is developing a “collegiate system” designed to manage post-primary tensions and keep all aspirants within a shared power structure.
Speaking on ARISE TV, Salihu said the framework would move away from winner-takes-all politics and instead promote a team-based leadership model. “It is not a framework where one person will be the winner of everything,” he said, adding that any eventual presidential candidate would emerge “as part of a team, not someone who defeats others and pushes them out.”
The proposal comes amid intense jockeying within opposition ranks, with loyalists of Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso—and even Rotimi Amaechi—pushing competing ambitions. However, Salihu dismissed fears of division, describing the current dynamics as healthy political contestation.
He expressed confidence that the ADC’s collegiate structure would discourage defections and ensure that all major contenders remain invested in a united front against the APC.
With Tinubu now officially in the race and the ADC working to harmonise its heavyweight aspirants under a single umbrella, the contours of the 2027 presidential battle are becoming clearer—one that could pit incumbency against an unusually coordinated opposition alliance.