President Bola Tinubu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bola_Tinubu) faces a fragmented opposition that is still trying to turn a shared desire to unseat him into a workable alliance for the January 2027 presidential election. Six major parties – including the Accord, APC, APGA, PDP, ADC and SDP – are in talks, but competing ambitions, differing ideologies and uncertainty over candidate selection threaten to derail any consensus.
Key facts:
- On Wednesday, Tinubu launched a Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) that includes members from the Accord Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
- The opposition’s own coalition talks involve Atiku Abubakar (ADC), Peter Obi (NDC), Seyi Makinde (APM), Donald Duke (PRP) and Adewole Adebayo (SDP).
- Senator Ben Obi says he has taken it upon himself to mediate between the leading opposition figures, warning that a divided opposition could hand Tinubu an easy victory.
- Communications adviser Mark Adebayo argues that the negotiations started too late, insisting that a genuine coalition should have been built years earlier.
- Accord Party candidate Gbenga Olawepo‑Hashim stresses that not all opposition candidates share the same ideological stance and should not be lumped together.
What is the opposition trying to achieve?
The opposition’s primary goal is to present a single, credible challenger to Tinubu. However, the process of deciding who will lead a potential grand alliance, how the candidate will be chosen and what guarantees will persuade aspirants to step aside remains unresolved. The challenge is not merely to bring leaders into the same room, but to craft an agreement that can survive personal ambitions and party interests.
Who are the main players in the talks?
The discussions centre on six presidential hopefuls: Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Seyi Makinde, Donald Duke, Adewole Adebayo and the Accord Party’s Gbenga Olawepo‑Hashim. Senator Ben Obi says he convened a six‑person committee, asking each of the three senior figures – Makinde, Obi and Atiku – to nominate two trusted associates. He also enlisted former Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi to keep the meetings alive.
> "I believe very strongly that if the opposition does not come together, the > incumbent might coast to victory," Senator Obi told Vanguard.
Why is timing a major obstacle?
Mark Adebayo, chief communications adviser to the Adebayo‑Bugaje campaign, told Vanguard that the talks began “too late in the day.” He argues that a coalition requires years of institutional building, not last‑minute negotiations on the eve of a general election. He also highlighted ideological differences as a fundamental barrier, noting that parties hold divergent views on governance and economic policy.
How do ideological differences affect the alliance?
Gbenga Olawepo‑Hashim, the Accord Party presidential candidate, explained on Seun Okinbaloye’s Mic On Podcast that opposition figures should not be automatically grouped together. He described himself, Omoyele Sowore (African Action Congress) and Adewole Adebayo (SDP) as sharing a left‑centre, welfarist outlook, while labeling Atiku and Obi as belonging to a more conservative wing, especially on economic matters and petrol subsidies.
> "There are opposition candidates who share the left‑centre ideology, more > welfarists, more sympathetic to the common people. Sowore, Adebayo and I > belong to that," Olawepo‑Hashim said.
What practical issues remain?
Beyond ideology, the opposition must resolve how to select a single presidential candidate, decide on the running‑mate, allocate campaign funding, coordinate messaging and manage grassroots mobilisation. The success of any coalition will depend on whether parties can agree on a clear decision‑making structure and whether they can maintain cooperation after the negotiations conclude.
The opposition’s task, therefore, is not only to agree that Tinubu should be challenged, but also to determine the mechanics of that challenge and who will wield authority within the unified front.
*Source: Vanguard News*