Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has claimed that opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi are inadvertently campaigning for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Oshiomhole made this remark while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, stating that these opposition figures are too busy attacking each other to present a united front against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. ¹
According to Oshiomhole, Atiku’s criticism of Obi has turned the former vice president into the APC’s most effective campaign promoter. He noted that the constant verbal exchanges among opposition leaders show they’re more interested in discrediting one another than presenting a united front against Tinubu.
The APC has already waived the screening process for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential primary, declaring him the party’s sole candidate. Oshiomhole believes this move gives the APC an upper hand in the election.
Atiku’s camp has warned against zoning the 2027 presidential ticket exclusively to the South, arguing that this strategy could pave the way for Tinubu’s easy re-election. They claim that no incumbent president has ever been defeated by an opposition challenger from the same geopolitical bloc. ²
Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso recently joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), citing legal battles and internal divisions within the African Democratic Congress (ADC). This move has clouded the opposition’s unity push. ³
Oshiomhole dismissed the prospect of Atiku and Obi winning the 2027 election, citing their history of electoral defeat. He believes that even if they run together, they will still be defeated by Tinubu. ⁴
The opposition’s problems give Tinubu a familiar edge, with analysts saying the APC’s incumbency advantage and party machine make it a tough challenge for opposition candidates.
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