Former Kano State Governor and Chairman of the League of Northern Democrats, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has dismissed the recently formed opposition coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, stating that it lacks the necessary political structure to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 elections.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Shekarau reacted to the formation of the Coalition of Opposition Political Parties, which includes Atiku, former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
He categorically stated that such a coalition does not stand a chance of unseating Tinubu and the APC in 2027.
Shekarau, who has also previously contested for the presidency, emphasized that the emerging alliance of opposition figures is essentially a gathering of individuals with presidential or vice-presidential ambitions, rather than a well-structured political coalition. He argued that while having prominent figures in the alliance might create attention, it does not equate to the formation of a unified political front. What is required, according to Shekarau, is a strong political structure, which the opposition coalition currently lacks.
Further, the former Kano governor pointed out that the coalition is not supported by the leadership of key opposition parties, particularly the People’s Democratic Party and the Labour Party. Shekarau described the coalition as being driven more by individual ambitions than by solid political organizations, making it unlikely to pose a serious challenge to the APC’s grip on power.
“This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership,” Shekarau stated in his response. “The coming together of some senior members of opposition parties is a welcome development, as seen recently under what they call a ‘coalition’ of opposition parties. But unfortunately, most people do not realize that this so-called coalition has nothing to do with the major opposition parties; PDP and LP.”
Shekarau contrasted the current opposition alliance with the 2013 merger that led to the formation of the APC. He reminded that the APC’s formation was the result of the unification of four registered opposition 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) — which had well-established political structures, including elected governors and National Assembly members, as well as strong grassroots support.
“The first political merger in Nigeria happened in 2013 when four registered parties merged to form the APC. So, technically, the APC is not a ‘new party.’ It was an alliance of registered opposition political parties that were already well-established, with elected state governors, state and National Assembly members, and significant grassroots support,” Shekarau explained.
Shekarau also criticized the lack of influence shown by the opposition coalition in recent political events. He pointed to the March 20, 2025, National Assembly vote on the ‘State of Emergency’ in Rivers State, noting that the opposition was unable to stop the APC government from securing the required votes for the law’s passage. He questioned the coalition’s ability to influence such legislative matters, suggesting that if the coalition had genuine political power, the outcome would have been different.
“The 2019 ‘coalition’ was formally launched almost a year before the elections at the Yar’Adua Center, yet none of the then-elected PDP leaders was in attendance,” Shekarau remarked. “No amount of noise-making or informal alliances by individual politicians in the name of opposition will have any impact in elections unless the full leadership structure of opposition parties at all levels is involved.”
Despite his criticisms, Shekarau left room for hope, stating that with the right vision and a focused, purpose-driven approach, the opposition could still alter its trajectory in time for the 2025 elections and position itself for success in 2027.
Shekarau reaffirmed that only registered political parties can form an official merger, underscoring that the recent alliance is still an informal gathering rather than a legally recognized coalition. “The coalition of opposition figures is a good development, as seen in their recent meeting under what they call an opposition alliance. However, none of the key figures involved represents their party leadership,” Shekarau added.