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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the significance of a potential alliance between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, stating it would not hinder President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The ruling party’s National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, characterised the alliance as an ineffective strategy, likening Atiku and Obi to “strange bedfellows.”
Reacting to statements from Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, who claimed the combined votes of Atiku and Obi in the 2023 elections could have prevented Tinubu’s presidency, Ibrahim argued that election victories rely on strategy rather than simple arithmetic.
“It is a dream gone wrong,” he said. “A smart winner always capitalises on opposition cracks. Adding up total votes does not translate into defeating the winner.”
Ibrahim expressed confidence in the APC’s continued dominance, asserting, “If this is what they are relying upon, then we start celebrating 2027 because they will be severely beaten. The APC has opened a Progressive Institute where they can learn more about progressivism.”
Meanwhile, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, confirmed his principal’s willingness to collaborate with those sharing his vision for a better Nigeria, but he ruled out alliances focused on state capture.
Opposition voices, including the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), expressed scepticism about the alliance’s potential to unseat the APC.
CUPP National Secretary Peter Ahmeh argued that while coalitions could strengthen opposition efforts, systemic electoral reforms are paramount.
“The most important coalition we need ensures elections are free and fair,” Ahmeh said, adding that results should be determined transparently at polling units, drawing from Ghana’s electoral practices.
“A coalition will only facilitate the process but won’t solve the fundamental problems."
As speculation about an Atiku-Obi alliance continues, the discourse underscores broader challenges within Nigeria’s political landscape, where effective opposition strategies and credible elections remain critical to shaping future leadership.