Former gorvernor Aminu Tambuwal has stated that if key leaders of the opposition such as former President Goodluck Jonathan, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso try to run separately, they will separate the opposition votes, and Tinubu will easily come out as the winner.
Tambuwal urged these leaders to unite for a single candidate to run against President Tinubu saying that unity is the only way to aspire to defeat the APC. Tambuwal also noted that Tinubu’s power is exaggerated and is only sustained because of the divisions in opposition leadership.
Tambuwal further said that he is willing to work and support efforts for such a coalition, in a democratic and lawful way. He refused to divulge which opposition leader he would support, he said he would wait to see who declared his intentions to run first.
Tambuwal’s comments came on the heels of the reported heightened consultations among opposition leaders, and considering approaching 2027 on a common political platform. While champions of unity among opposition supporters see it as a path toward regaining power, ruling party loyalists claimed it is fanciful and that there is little grassroots support to get it off the ground.
Raising people’s awareness of his part in this process, Tambuwal stated that his interest is via democratic means and lawful processes. He stated that although he has strong thoughts on the way forward, he will not support any candidate until the formal interest of one or more aspirants has been signaled.
While opposing APC loyalists have largely, dismissed the united front the opposition has sought to present as fanciful – they assert: APC’s backing at the grassroots means it retains popular support. They further opined, have not seen evidence to support the notion that opposition leaders can put their differences aside to bring supporters together to mount a serious challenge against the president.
Tambuwal countered these thoughts though by saying that Nigerians are focused on governance, and the economy, and if and, when the opposition can present their fight as a united and credible fight, more electorates would be willing to consider making a change.
As the 2027 elections continue to emerge, the tenets of unity continues to dominate political conversations. For Tambuwal, the bottom line is simple: Tinubu’s presidency is challengeable; opposition leaders need to first acknowledge that their individual powers are only as effective as their ability to act collectively.
The discussion illustrates the heightened urgency in opposition circles to not repeat the mistakes of the past. For Tambuwal, the rallying message was clear, Tinubu can be beaten, but the only way to have the chance of doing so is for the opposition to stand together.