Former Kano State Governor Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has cast doubt on the viability of the newly announced opposition coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
His reaction comes after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar unveiled the coalition at a press conference in Abuja, declaring its mission to challenge the current administration.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau, who leads the League of Northern Democrats (LND), acknowledged the initiative as a “good development” but questioned its feasibility.
“This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.
Speaking on the 2013 merger that birthed the All Progressives Congress (APC), Shekarau pointed out that the APC’s formation was a structured merger of four registered parties—the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
“The first political merger in Nigeria happened in 2013 when four registered parties merged to form the APC. It was an alliance of established opposition parties with elected governors, National Assembly members, and grassroots support,” he explained.
He also cited the March 20, 2025, National Assembly vote on the State of Emergency in Rivers State, arguing that the event exposed the opposition’s lack of influence.
“If the coalition leaders had any real influence, the APC government would not have secured the required votes for the law’s passage,” he said.
Shekarau recalled the failure of the 2019 opposition coalition, which was formally launched a year before the elections but did not have the backing of key PDP leaders.
“No amount of noise-making or informal alliances by individual politicians in the name of opposition will have any impact in elections unless the full leadership structure of opposition parties at all levels is involved,” he stated.
Despite his scepticism, Shekarau maintained that it was not too late for the opposition to reposition itself for 2027.
“With the right vision, mission, and focus, combined with a genuine sense of purpose, the opposition can change its narrative in 2025 and prepare for success in 2027,” he concluded.
