Atiku: Tinubu Can’t Win Free, Fair Election in 2027
Yilwatda: ADC, Others Should Put Their House in Order
• Ex-VP says 2027 will be his last shot at presidency
Emmanuel Addeh and Alex Enumah in Abuja
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday declared that President Bola Tinubu stands no chance of securing re-election in 2027, citing what he described as the administration’s poor performance and given the heavyweights in the opposition.
Atiku argued that the current administration has failed to meet expectations across key sectors, insisting that Nigerians are already bearing the brunt of policies that have deepened hardship and weakened confidence in government.
Besides, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Babachir Lawal, alleged that the Tinubu government is pushing for a one-party system in the country.
But in a media chat, the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the opposition ADC and other political parties to put their house in order, rather than blaming Tinubu for their misfortunes.
Specifically, the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as well as the National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, who defended the Tinubu administration, affirmed that the ruling party remains resilient, open, and focused on providing effective governance nationwide. They also described the problems of the opposition as self-inflicted.
But speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Atiku also ruled out zoning as a constitutional requirement in the country, explaining that as it stands, the north has a deficit of eight years if the number of years spent in the number one position was collated.
He stated that while the coalition within the ADC may first pursue a consensus candidate, he remained committed to supporting whoever eventually secures the party’s ticket through either consensus or a competitive primary.
Atiku, who confirmed that the 2027 race would be his final attempt at the presidency, acknowledged that the stakes were significantly higher. He argued, however, that his long political experience positions him as both a bridge between Nigeria’s past and its future, insisting that younger leaders still require guidance from more seasoned figures.
“(With) a coalition candidate facing Bola Tinubu, Bola Tinubu is dead on arrival. This is not a slogan. It’s a fact. Look at the leaders of the coalition, where will Bola stand? Everything is wrong with President Tinubu. Perhaps, in my life, this is the worst administration I have seen in this country. I feel terribly disappointed,” he stated.
He expressed confidence in the opposition coalition, describing it as far better and stronger than the 2015 coalition of the All Progressive Congress (APC) that wrested power from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“I see a lot of future because within the broad coalition, you see people of my generation, you see people below my own generation down the line. So, you can see a clear succession pattern emerging. I did not see it in the APC,” he said.
When asked if he would step aside in the event a consensus candidate emerged, the former VP and former presidential candidate, stated that the question ought not to be whether he would step aside but whether he would support. “I will support anybody who emerges”, he said.
He disclosed that the party has planned to work out a consensus in selecting its candidate in the 2027 presidential election, but would proceed to an election if the consensus fails, assuring that the ADC as it is, boasts of matured politicians that would not rock the boat in the event they didn’t get the party’s ticket. “We have all agreed that this is the way to save democracy in this country,” he pointed out.
He dispelled insinuations that the coalition is more of rivalry than partnership, going by the calibre of personalities behind the coalition.
The Adamawa-born politician has been vying for the office of president for over three decades. His first attempt was in 1993 when he aspired for the position under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), before stepping down for the late Moshood Abiola.
Besides, there was a rumoured ambition in 2003, when he was VP to then President Olusegun Obasanjo. Atiku however defected from the PDP to the Action Congress (AC) to contest the election against the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007.
He later returned to the PDP to slug the party’s ticket with then incumbent President Jonathan, in 2011 and lost the primary. He again moved to the then opposition coalition, APC, in 2015 and also lost the ticket to late President Muhammadu Buhari.
The former VP subsequently returned to the PDP to contest the 2019 presidential election, where he also lost to Buhari during the general election. Besides, he contested the 2023 presidential election still under the PDP and lost to President Bola Tinubu of the APC.
On the ADC coalition, Atiku described himself as a leading initiator, noting that he had long advocated a broad-based alliance following the electoral decline of the PDP. He maintained that historical patterns in Nigeria’s politics support coalition-building as a pathway to electoral success.
He admitted that the coalition is driven both by a shared vision and a determination to unseat the current administration, which he criticised sharply. Atiku described Tinubu’s leadership as disappointing, stating that he had expected better performance both economically and institutionally.
On the issue of zoning, Atiku maintained that there is no constitutional basis for the practice in Nigeria, stressing that only the PDP formally incorporates zoning in its internal arrangements. He argued that broader political debates around power rotation are often driven by self-interest rather than legal or constitutional principles.
Despite criticisms that his candidacy may contradict the informal North-South power rotation principle, Atiku insisted that his position is aimed at ensuring long-term political stability. He noted that, historically, the South has held power longer than the North under the current democratic dispensation.
He also argued that Jonathan failed as Nigeria’s leader as a result of what he described as ‘ ‘inexperience’. “I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. A decent young man, but also inexperienced. That, I believe, contributed to his failure to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” Atiku emphasised.
Babachir Lawal: Tinubu, APC Cannot Win Free, Fair Polls
Meanwhile, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and chieftain of the ADC, Babachir Lawal, has alleged that the APC-led government is pushing for a one-party system in the country.
Speaking on Channels Television yesterday, Lawal said the ruling party would be unable to win a free and fair election and was therefore seeking to remain in power without opposition.
He said: “They want a one-party system. Look, it is very clear, every Nigerian understands that this government cannot afford to go to an election in a free and fair manner because they will lose woefully.”
Despite the absence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at ADC’s recent national convention, the former SGF insisted that the exercise remained valid, stating that the party acted on the advice of its legal advisers. He added that the ADC would be on the ballot in the 2027 elections regardless of INEC’s position.
He stressed: “We don’t listen to INEC. They are not the Appeal Court, they are not the Supreme Court, not even the High Court. So, INEC can say whatever they want to say. We are going to be on the ballot whatever INEC says; we are going to participate in this election.”
Besides, Lawal argued that the adoption of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 general election has worsened perceptions of religious exclusion and contributed to what he described as increased persecution of Christians in parts of Nigeria.
He maintained that the ticket sent a dangerous signal to sections of the country, particularly Christians in the North.
“The Muslim-Muslim ticket is an issue of injustice to me. Not only that, it is the way it was portrayed, it implied that of all the millions of Christians in the North, none is good enough to be vice president,” he argued.
Similarly, he claimed that the perception created by the ticket had emboldened criminal elements and deepened divisions in the country, particularly in northern communities.
“It is the impression that he has created that has empowered everybody who has an AK-47 rifle to go and start killing,” he emphasised.
Yilwatda: Opposition Lacks Internal Democracy, Should Stop Blaming APC
During the live media chat yesterday, Yilwatda, who spoke in defence of Tinubu, affirmed that the ruling party remains resilient, open, and focused on providing effective governance nationwide.
Yilwatda maintained that if the ADC and other opposition parties lack internal democracy, the APC should not be blamed, reeling out several achievements of the Tinubu administration and why he deserves a second term.
“So, if they don’t have internal democracy, we have one. If they can’t manage internal democracy, we have a process, and we do it. The ADC and other opposition political parties should stop blaming the APC for their failure,” he said.
Speaking on the achievements of the Tinubu government, Yilwatda stated that the painful, bold, and necessary economic reforms introduced by the president were beginning to produce positive outcomes.
“Mr President took that bold step to make that change that was needed for us to have development in the country, and he did it. Today, we are seeing the benefits. There are macroeconomic improvements; there is more revenue to the states, to the local government, and to the federal government.
“If you see the infrastructure being built at the state level, you know it is massive. Most of the cities are built up, and they are not borrowing again; they are not taking bonds to borrow to implement those infrastructures.
“It is because the increase in revenue through that change in policy has led to all those changes that we are seeing. And we have economic growth also, from a tax surplus for the first time. Last year, we had a tax surplus of over N6 trillion. These are tax surpluses that we have never seen in many years.
“We also saw that GDP is growing. Last year, we crossed about 4 per cent GDP growth over the year. Our foreign reserves have seen almost N50 trillion. So we are seeing a lot of improvement in the macroeconomy of the country,” Yilwatda explained.
According to him, Tinubu is now working on the microeconomic aspect so that the impact will be felt by Nigerians, pointing out that efforts were also underway to strengthen the economy through investments in human capital development, including student loans, support for vulnerable households, and other intervention programmes.
“These are things the federal government is doing to ease the pains that come with these reforms. We acknowledge the pains; it is real, it is factual, and it is a part we must go through as a country. We are doing our best, but we have not covered everybody yet. However, we are working to reach as many Nigerians as possible,” he emphasised.
Ajibola Basiru: Tinubu Working, Not Behind ADC, PDP Problems
During the programme, Basiru also defended Tinubu and his administration, cautioning the opposition ADC and PDP to take responsibility for their actions and stop fingering the president anytime they have issues.
“Now, talking about frustrating opposition. As of the last count, we have no less than 19 registered political parties in Nigeria. The political parties that were claiming that they have problems are not more than four or five. So the majority of Nigerian political parties do not have any problems.
“Speaking of facts, if out of 19 or so political parties, four have issues, the question you ask of them is: are they conducting affairs within the framework of the law in order to continue to act amid such a problem? Then, if you say APC is the source of the problem, have you seen any APC member challenging the internal processes of other political parties?
“And I will give today, the Supreme Court of Nigeria sat today to say that they rejected an application yesterday for a stay of execution, and the Court of Appeal would say that status quo ante bellum should be maintained in the case of the two ADC factions.
“The Supreme Court of Nigeria, in two established cases, one in 1982 and one in 1993, has stated what status quo ante bellum is, that is, the situation of things before hostility. Yet, some people still gather themselves in a bizarre manner and say that they are organising a convention, which is clearly in violation of the law,” he said.
Basiru questioned whether Tinubu is the one instructing them to violate the Court of Appeal’s clear directive not to create a fait accompli that could affect pending court proceedings, and cautioned opposition leaders against discrediting the judiciary and democratic institutions to advance their interests.
He said: “And at that purported convention, people who are in litigation with you, contesting leadership, you say you have expelled them from the process. The question is, where is the hand of the APC in that regard?,” he asked.
On insecurity, Basiru said the president was taking necessary steps to ensure that terrorism is quelled, highlighting Tinubu’s achievements and calling for cooperation among Nigerians and other stakeholders.
“Progress has been made, even though challenges remain. In the last few weeks, about 350 suspects linked to insecurity have been prosecuted. The United States has also commended these efforts,” he stated, urging the opposition to stop politicising the issue of insecurity.
