The recent meeting between former President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Cross River State governor Donald Duke has sparked debate about the potential opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.
However, the APC appears undeterred by this development, dismissing the meeting as inconsequential in light of President Bola Tinubu’s strong political position.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Bala Ibrahim, the National Publicity Director of the APC, downplayed the significance of the meeting, asserting that Tinubu’s standing in Nigerian politics far surpasses that of the individuals involved.
Ibrahim pointed out that both Obasanjo and the opposition figures, including Kwankwaso, Duke, and Peter Obi, were soundly defeated in the 2023 elections and therefore posed no threat to the APC in 2027.
Ibrahim said that Obasanjo, despite his influential political career, has previously backed candidates who lost in key elections, such as his support for Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and Peter Obi in 2023, who were both defeated by APC candidates.
He argued that even if these political figures continue to meet and strategise, their efforts would ultimately be unsuccessful.
He said, “With due respect, I hold Obasanjo in high esteem. As a former President, ex-Head of State, and an elder statesman, I don’t want to take issues with him. But when it comes to the politics of Nigeria, particularly contemporary politics, Tinubu is not their mate.
“Tinubu is head and shoulders above them in modern politics in Nigeria. So the combination of Obasanjo, Kwankwaso, Peter Obi, and Donald Duke, who was my schoolmate, does not present a threat to Tinubu. These are people who were trashed in the last election.
“This is not the first time Obasanjo is going to rally around someone, and that person is defeated. Remember, he supported (ex-President Goodluck) Jonathan, who later lost to Buhari. Obasanjo supported another candidate, Peter Obi, in the last election again and Tinubu trounced them.
“So they can have marathon meetings and meet till the end of time, they will not present any threat to the government of APC.
“Who among Kwankwaso, Obasanjo, Obi, Duke was not beaten? If they are bringing angels, it’s a different story. But if it is these same spent forces that will combine and meet, their meeting cannot bring any good outcome.”
This dismissive response from the APC reflects a broader sense of confidence in Tinubu’s leadership and the party’s position in Nigerian politics, despite opposition efforts to form a united front for the 2027 elections.
The strategic discussions led by figures like Kwankwaso and Duke, as well as Obasanjo’s engagement with various stakeholders, suggest that the opposition is actively planning to challenge the APC’s hold on power, but the APC remains steadfast in its belief that these efforts will not yield a serious challenge.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, canvassed for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu for second term.
According to Akume, there will be no vacancy in Aso Rock until 2031, when Tinubu would have completed a second term.
