Opposition rift widens over sole presidential ticket

Fresh cracks have emerged within Nigeria’s opposition bloc ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with deep divisions over the push for a single consensus candidate following the defection of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

Associates of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said on Monday that plans by a broad opposition coalition to rally behind a consensus presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027 remain intact, despite recent political realignments. (L-R) Aisha Binani, Peter Obi, Seriake Dickson and Rabiu Kwankwaso at the meeting on Sunday. Photo Credit: X / Seriake Dickson

They also dismissed concerns that the exit of Obi and Kwankwaso from the African Democratic Congress would weaken the opposition’s chances, insisting the coalition project is still viable.

Atiku, who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party on the eve of his 79th birthday in 2025, had moved to the ADC as part of a broader strategy to unite opposition forces.

Obi and Kwankwaso — presidential candidates of the Labour Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party in 2023 —later joined him in the party in 2026.

However, political intrigues have since forced both men out of the ADC, leaving Atiku increasingly isolated within the coalition framework.

Speaking with The PUNCH in confidence, an ally of Atiku who declined to be named said, “It would have been better he gets the ticket first before we talk about whether he is committed to a single term of four years or not. For me, this is too early.”

A long-serving member of Atiku’s camp also rejected the idea of a single-term presidency, describing it as premature and distracting.

“This is like putting the cart before the horse. Atiku is presently interested in the growth and supremacy of the party, the ADC. Without the party, no individual ambition will survive. Talks such as the single term tenure, are mere distractions,” the source said.

Waxing philosophical, he likened the ADC to a moving train that would continue to attract new entrants despite recent exits.

“The party has to grow first and become formidable. The party is like a train. At some point, passengers will alert and others will get in. Obi and Kwankwaso have decided to get off the train but that has not stopped others from getting in. The destination is the 2027 election.

“Obi and Kwankwaso were not forced off the train. They got off themselves,” he added, noting that the coalition plan to unseat Tinubu remains alive.

“For us, nothing has changed. The coalition idea is still relevant today,” he said.

But key opposition figures and parties have distanced themselves from the single-candidate proposal, exposing widening fault lines.

Reacting, the National Leader of the NDC, Seriake Dickson, said the issue was not yet ripe for discussion.

He said, “We are not ready to discuss anything on the opposition fielding a single presidential candidate for tne 2027 election for now. When the right is right, the media will be one of the first to know about it.”

Similarly, National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stressed that while opposition parties remain open to alliances, their primary goal is to unseat the current administration.

“When we know who is in the team, we will devise ways in which we can either on our own or together collaborate. The key issue, the only goal in mind of the opposition, all of them, is to change this administration because it needs to go. Nigeria cannot survive another four years under this administration.

“Whatever we have to do legally, whatever we have to do to win this election either as a party or an alliance of parties, we will do. We will do it not because we want to take up offices but because we have to salvage this country and we’re very serious about this.

“So we are willing to enter into any arrangement that reinforces the strength of the opposition and so that we can change this government and make sure that President Tinubu and his government don’t come back and destroy this country,” he stated.

The Accord Party has also rejected claims linking it to any coalition plan for a single presidential candidate, distancing itself from a recent Ibadan summit where such discussions reportedly took place.

Meanwhile, a faction of the ADC led by Nafiu Bala Gombe similarly disowned the choice of a consensus presidential candidate, insisting the party would pursue an independent path.

“We are not in support of it and we as the Authentic members of the African Democratic Congress. So whatever resolution was taken in that place, we are not in support of it.

“The ADC is an existing party. It doesn’t exist yesterday, the day before yesterday, last week or last month. ADC has been in existence for almost 20 years now. We are fielding a candidate, and Inshallah, all the elective offices at all levels will support it.

“In my view, the Ibadan Summit can best be described as the reunion of former members of Peoples Democratic Party, aligning with aggrieved or disgruntled individuals who have been ignored from the party.

“So, for the record, I want to assure you that the African Democratic Congress was not involved in the summit, and should not be linked to any outcome or resolution coming from that summit. I understand.”

Labour Party also dismissed talks of a joint presidential ticket, saying the party has other plans.

“As it stands today, we are focused on getting substantive leadership for Labour party in our next convention.

“That is the position of the party for now. If there is a need for us in future to be in coalition with other political parties, we will inform Nigerians,” LP Spokesman, Ken Asogwa told our correspondent.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, echoed the same position.

He said, “Unfortunately, we are not part of that arrangement. We are hold our national convention. So, we are not bound by whatever happened at that summit.”

Despite the divisions, loyalists of Obi and Kwankwaso are pushing for a unified opposition ticket to emerge from the South, intensifying debates over zoning and coalition strategy.

The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, and the National Publicity Secretary of the Obi–Kwankwaso Movement, Justin Ijeh, argued that equity demands the presidency remain in the South.

Tanko said, “Yes, we are concerned about the zoning. That was why we’ve been asking for the presidency to be zoned to the southern part of this country considering the simple fact that the presidency has been zoned to the south.

“As you speak right now, what we have is a southern presidency. So once you have a southern president, it simply means that even if there is going to be a replacement for the existing president, it should come from the south for them to complete their tenure.