Some of Nigeria’s prominent opposition figures have reportedly concluded talks on forming a political alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the aim of unseating President Bola Tinubu.
According to reports, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, now associated with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), wrapped up months of negotiations on Tuesday.
This development was revealed by Bloomberg on Wednesday, citing sources said to be closely involved in the talks.
As per the report, those leading the coalition have agreed to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the political platform under which their joint bid will be pursued.
Although these sources, who requested anonymity since no official announcement has been made, did not disclose who would emerge as the coalition’s presidential flagbearer or how power would be shared, the decision on the party platform appears to have been finalised.
Additionally, Bloomberg noted that the spokespersons for both the PDP and Labour Party stated their parties had no issue with their candidates participating in alliance talks. However, they clarified that these discussions did not involve a merger of the political parties.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi has shared insight into his role in the coalition’s formation ahead of the 2027 elections. According to him, his involvement is driven by a collective desire to address Nigeria’s worsening issues of governance and economic hardship.
Obi made this position known while responding to questions about a reported one-term arrangement involving himself and Atiku Abubakar for the next election cycle, where he would serve as Atiku’s running mate.
Naturenex gathered that multiple insiders told Punch that the deal was suggested earlier in the year during a meeting between the two opposition leaders in the United Kingdom. The arrangement reportedly involves Atiku committing to a single four-year tenure, with Obi taking the Vice Presidency.
However, during an event in Kubwa on Monday — where he participated in a donation program for a church-run school and hospital — Peter Obi neither confirmed nor denied the existence of such a deal with the former Vice President.
When asked about his stance, Obi simply reiterated his dedication to the coalition’s cause, saying: “You can make of the report what you want, but I’m in a coalition against bad governance, hunger, and poverty.”
