The camp of Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, has confirmed that a merger between opposition parties aimed at defeating the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections has been “sealed” .
Abdulrasheed Shehu, the special assistant on media to Atiku Abubakar, shared the announcement via his verified Twitter account on Friday night, stating that an alliance between major opposition figures is imminent and “just about time.”
This comes after Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, voiced strong criticism against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, pointing out issues like institutional corruption, mismanagement, and rising poverty levels.
Obi, however, clarified that no merger had been formalized at this point. He urged all Nigerians, regardless of political party, to unite and confront the APC administration.
The proposed merger has sparked some controversy, however. Before Obi’s remarks, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, denied rumors of an agreement with Atiku and Obi.
Kwankwaso claimed that Atiku’s camp misled northern religious and political leaders with false reports about a deal between him and Obi to alternate the presidency after 2027.
Despite the controversies, there is growing support among opposition backers for a potential merger, with many seeing it as a key strategy to unseat the ruling APC in 2027.
In a related development, Ismael Ahmed, a prominent APC member from Kano State, weighed in on the possible coalition. Speaking on a podcast in 2024, Ahmed, who previously served as a special assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari, warned that an alliance between Obi and Atiku could pose a significant challenge to the APC in the upcoming election.
