2027: Ex-Governor questions Viability of Opposition party, predicts failure of merger 

Former Kano State Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the newly formed opposition coalition aiming to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

His reaction follows the unveiling of the coalition by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during a press conference in Abuja, where he declared its mission to challenge the current administration.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau, who leads the League of Northern Democrats (LND), acknowledged the initiative as a “good development” but questioned its feasibility.

“This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.

Citing the 2013 merger that led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Shekarau noted that it was a structured alliance of four registered parties—the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

“The first political merger in Nigeria happened in 2013 when four registered parties merged to form the APC. It was an alliance of established opposition parties with elected governors, National Assembly members, and grassroots support,” he explained.

Shekarau also referenced the March 20, 2025, National Assembly vote on the State of Emergency in Rivers State, arguing that it exposed the opposition’s lack of influence.

“If the coalition leaders had any real influence, the APC government would not have secured the required votes for the law’s passage,” he said.