Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said the inability of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to compromise on their presidential ambitions has weakened the opposition’s chances of presenting a united challenge to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Sani made the observation on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
His comments came amid renewed efforts by opposition parties and political groups to form alliances and produce a formidable platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, the opposition waited too long to resolve its differences and agree on a common presidential candidate, making the process increasingly difficult as the election approaches.
“These are decisions they ought to have taken before now,” Sani said.
He argued that the situation had become more complicated because the major political actors had already established their structures, mobilised supporters and proceeded with preparations for the election.
Sani also pointed to the nomination process, saying the political parties had already submitted their candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, with the names subsequently published.
“It’s not possible for Atiku to step down for Peter Obi and it’s not possible for Peter Obi to step down for Atiku,” he said.
The former senator noted that Atiku had already selected former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate, arguing that restructuring the ticket at this stage would create further complications.
“Atiku has already picked his vice-president, which is Rotimi Amaechi,” Sani said.
He also noted that Obi had emerged as a presidential candidate and was mobilising supporters around his political platform, making it difficult for either contender to abandon his ambition at this stage.
Sani said the opposition would have stood a better chance of producing a formidable challenge to Tinubu if the various political actors had negotiated a common candidate earlier, particularly when some of them were still within the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
“If they were able to work that out when they were all in ADC, that would have been better for them,” he said.
According to him, the opposition figures had now taken different positions, mobilised supporters, printed campaign materials and commenced preparations for the 2027 election.
“If they couldn’t put their house in order when they were all in ADC, is it now that everyone has taken position, has mobilised his people, printed his posters and billboards, and the names are in INEC and have been documented that you’re talking of one candidate?” he asked.
Sani said the opposition leaders could continue to hold meetings, but expressed doubts that the discussions would produce a major breakthrough.
He maintained that the challenge was not merely the absence of political meetings but the unwillingness of the leading contenders to sacrifice their individual ambitions for a common cause.
“If Atiku was interested in one candidate, he would have dropped down for Peter Obi. If Peter Obi was interested in one candidate, he would have dropped down for Atiku,” he said.
The former lawmaker recalled that the All Progressives Congress, APC, successfully resolved a similar challenge ahead of the 2015 presidential election by bringing different political interests together behind Muhammadu Buhari.
“That was what APC did in 2014. Everyone sacrificed ambition and rallied around Buhari, and then Buhari defeated Jonathan,” Sani said.
He, however, said the current opposition landscape was different because the individual ambitions of the major contenders appeared stronger than their willingness to compromise.
Sani further argued that the regional dynamics of the 2027 presidential contest could make efforts to produce a consensus candidate even more difficult.
He noted that Atiku, as a northern presidential contender, could face questions over his ability to secure broad support in the South, while Obi’s supporters could resist any arrangement that would require him to step aside for another candidate.
“This is the turn for the South to produce an eight-year president,” Sani said.
He said asking Atiku to withdraw for Obi could generate resistance among Atiku’s supporters in the North, just as asking Obi to step aside for Atiku could alienate supporters who believe the presidency should return to the South.
Sani’s comments came as opposition parties and groups continue to explore possible alliances ahead of the 2027 election.
Among the emerging political realignments is the formation of the Movement for Democratic Renewal, MDR, by the African Action Congress, AAC, Accord Party and Social Democratic Party, SDP.
The coalition, which emerged from a strategic summit in Port Harcourt, involves the 2023 presidential candidates of the three platforms, Omoyele Sowore of the AAC, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim of Accord and Adewole Adebayo of the SDP.
The alliance has said it seeks to build a broad-based opposition capable of challenging the dominance of the APC and preventing what it described as a drift towards a one-party state.
However, Sani maintained that the broader opposition challenge would remain difficult to overcome unless the major presidential contenders were prepared to make significant sacrifices.
He said political alliances should be based on realistic calculations and early negotiations rather than last-minute efforts to compel established presidential candidates to abandon their ambitions.
The former senator therefore concluded that while opposition leaders could continue their discussions, the prevailing circumstances had made the emergence of a single presidential candidate from the major opposition figures increasingly difficult.
