Plans by opposition politicians to form a united coalition against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election have suffered setbacks due to ideological differences and competing presidential ambitions.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore disclosed their differing positions at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Politics, People and Nigeria’s Future,’ Atiku’s running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, argued that the coalition had struggled because politicians involved were unwilling to sacrifice their ambitions.
Amaechi said, “The difficulty is everybody has a vision. Nobody wants to give up.”
He urged Nigerians to assess politicians based on their records and capacity rather than rejecting everyone who had previously held public office.
Obi, however, said he remained open to a coalition if it was formed around a clear objective of improving governance and addressing Nigeria’s challenges. He said the competence, character, capacity and commitment of those involved must be considered.
Sowore disagreed with the idea that a political coalition was necessary to defeat Tinubu, arguing that Nigerians themselves would determine the outcome of the election.
He warned that an alliance involving politicians who shared the same policies and practices as the government would not deliver meaningful change.
“If anybody is willing to change the country, I will work with the person. But I will not work with anybody who simply wants to replace the old order with an older, even ricketier order,” he said.
The disagreement escalated when Sowore challenged Amaechi over the records of former public officials and subsidy policies. Amaechi accused him of misrepresenting his position and insisted that politicians should be judged by their achievements.
Efforts to unite the opposition have continued for over a year, but disagreements have led to the withdrawal of some smaller parties and the separation of Atiku and Obi after their brief association with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A proposed meeting of opposition leaders scheduled for August 18 was postponed to August 31, while leading candidates continue to pursue their campaigns separately.
