By Madu Onuorah
The formation of a coalition by opposition party leaders in the country may be stillborn because of the vehement insistence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to be the Presidential candidate in 2027.
Global Upfront Newspaper (GUN) gathered from players involved in the coalition talks that everything is set for the big political union except the continued insistence of the 79-year-old Atiku Abubakar to go for his sixth trial in the Presidential election by being on top of the ticket.
Last week, Atiku, alongside other key political figures, had announced the formation of a new opposition coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Thursday, where Atiku, flanked by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, National Coordinator of Obidient Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha, addressed journalists.
But GUN learnt that while many of the actors in the union are rooting for a Southern candidate so as not to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the ground of Southern sentiments, some Atiku diehards believe this might be his last chance just as it happened to Muhammadu Buhari who had given up hope when he ran in 2015 and won.
They are also arguing that on point of number, the South has been more in power than the North and stands a huge chance now.
But this view is being challenged by some who argue that in the 65 years of Nigeria’s nationhood, the North has been in power for over 46 years.
But most of the Southern players and even some Northerners involved in the coalition who spoke to GUN anonymously to avoid distrust among members said that a Northern candidate in 2027 is just helping Tinubu to go for an undeserved second term.
“Tinubu and members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) are praying hard for Atiku or a Northerner to be the flag bearer of the coalition so that they can cash in on it to further rubbish the North for being inconsiderate and obsessed with power. As things stand, it Atiku insists on running on top of the coalition, it may just be dead on arrival for the opposition grouping.
“While a good number of PDP leaders including former and serving Governors as well as former and serving legislators and party leaders strongly believe that their easiest route back to Aso Rock is to look for a popular Southerner to challenge Tinubu, some Atiku’s henchmen continue to push even when all political permutations point to the fact that a Northern candidate without significant Southern support cannot stop Tinubu,” the source said.
A GUN dependable source said that as a mark of respect for Atiku, the coalition is considering giving him the privilege of nominating a running mate to a Southern candidate in the coalition.
GUN recalls that the last time an incumbent was defeated in a Presidential election was in 2015 when a coalition of five political parties formed a coalition under the APC umbrella.
The parties involved in the coalition include the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) led by Muhammadu Buhari and El-Rufai, the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) led by Tinubu, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by former Governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi and four other Governors as well as the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) led by then Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANNP) led by late Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
