Former National Vice Chairman (Northwest) of the ruling APC, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has warned that the personal ambitions of leading opposition figures, particularly former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, could hand President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) an easy victory in the 2027 general election.
Lukman, who has consistently advocated for a united opposition, said the failure of opposition leaders to close ranks and present a common presidential candidate is repeating the mistakes that weakened their chances in the 2023 elections.
Speaking on Arise News Morning Show in Abuja on Friday, the founding chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) expressed concern that despite recent legal victories, including the Court of Appeal judgment nullifying an earlier order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties, the opposition remains deeply divided.
According to him, legal successes will mean little without genuine political unity.
“We can have a party that contests the election, but if we continue repeating what happened in 2023 and expect a different outcome, we are deceiving ourselves,” Lukman said.
He lamented what he described as weak opposition politics, arguing that it has allowed the APC government to operate without sufficient accountability.
“We are boxed in with an APC government whose elected leadership is hardly accountable. Things keep getting worse, yet Nigerians are left without a strong alternative,” he stated.
Lukman challenged opposition leaders to place Nigeria’s future above their individual presidential ambitions.
“The question is whether the personal ambitions of opposition leaders are more important than rescuing Nigeria. They must be willing to make sacrifices and unite.”
Declaring his personal position, Lukman said he wants President Tinubu and the APC voted out in 2027 but admitted he is increasingly frustrated by the opposition’s inability to work together.
“I want APC and President Tinubu defeated in 2027, but the way we are going about it is frustrating,” he said.
The former APC chieftain also revealed that he suspended his membership of the ADC about two weeks ago to enable broader consultations across political divides.
According to him, partisan interests alone cannot solve Nigeria’s political challenges, adding that consultations are already underway among concerned political stakeholders to persuade opposition leaders to return to the negotiation table before preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
He warned that if opposition parties contest the next election separately, they would likely suffer the same fate as in 2023.
“The same way the opposition contested the 2023 election, they now want to contest the 2027 election and expect a different result. Nigeria is bigger than the personal ambitions of any politician.”
Lukman also dismissed arguments centred on regional zoning, insisting that competence, accountability and good governance should take precedence over ethnic or regional considerations.
“Whether the candidate comes from the South or elsewhere is not the issue. What matters is accountable leadership that listens to Nigerians.”
On electoral credibility, Lukman argued that INEC must demonstrate its neutrality through transparent conduct rather than political assurances.
He further advocated a less militarised electoral process similar to what operates in neighbouring Ghana, where elections are conducted with minimal disruption.
Speaking later on Channels Television, Lukman repeated his warning, saying that unless the opposition unites, the 2027 presidential election could become “more of a coronation than an election.”
He maintained that Nigerians do not need opinion polls to know the country is facing severe economic hardship.
“People are struggling every day. The economy is becoming more difficult, and that reality is obvious to everyone.”
Lukman disclosed that efforts to build a broad opposition coalition had continued for nearly two years but regretted that they had yet to produce the united platform many Nigerians expected.
According to him, the opposition’s failure has emboldened the ruling APC.
He warned that continued division could deepen voter apathy and reduce public confidence in the electoral process.
Reflecting on his role in the formation of the APC in 2013, Lukman said the party had abandoned the progressive ideals on which it was founded.
He also criticised the implementation of major economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate liberalisation, arguing that they were introduced without adequate measures to cushion their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
He pointed to rising inflation, soaring food prices and declining agricultural productivity as evidence that many citizens have yet to benefit from the government’s economic policies.
Lukman concluded by urging opposition leaders to put national interest above personal ambition and unite behind a single credible presidential candidate capable of providing Nigerians with a strong alternative in 2027.
“Opposition leaders must prove that they love Nigeria more than their personal ambitions. They should negotiate, unite and present one credible candidate Nigerians can rally behind in 2027,” he said.
