Bringing Atiku and Peter Obi Together Will Be Difficult, Coalition Faces Hurdles

The viability of a robust opposition coalition against President Bola Ahmnaij has been questioned by Akin Oshuntokun, the former director-general of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council.
Oshuntokun highlighted the challenges presented by the presidential aspirations of prominent opposition members, especially Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, in an interview with Arise Television on Monday.
He pointed out that it would be extremely difficult to bring the opposition forces together because both of the candidates who ran for president in 2023 are probably going to do it again in 2027.

According to Oshuntokun, Atiku has the support of the Northern political establishment, whilst Obi has the support of the youth and the Obidient movement.

He cautioned that a recurrence of the 2023 situation, in which opposition forces were split, might happen unless one of them resigns or changes their political objectives.

Oshuntokun said that in order to get past this, Obi might have to reevaluate his goal of becoming president and instead concentrate on creating a larger political movement.

“Obi is in a difficult position,” he continued. He will be under pressure to run alongside a Northern leader for vice president. But since they view him as their chosen leader, the Obidient Movement is adamantly against this notion.

He noted the difficulties in bringing the opposition forces together, but he also accepted calls for a new candidate to head the coalition.

“I would put more effort into creating a powerful political movement than insisting on running for president if I were him,” he stated. Oshuntokun added that Obi might find it difficult to duplicate the 2023 election’s momentum if he decides to run on his own again.

Oshuntokun also underlined how crucial Northern dissatisfaction is to the success of any workable opposition alliance. “The core opposition must come from the North if there is any chance of unseating the APC, as discontent in that region would significantly weaken Tinubu’s chances,” he contended.

He cautioned that opposition leaders would have to show that they were prepared to put aside their individual goals in order to achieve the shared objective of overthrowing the ruling party.

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Shola Agboola, a Social Democratic Party (SDP) chieftain in Ondo State, however, used internal SDP rift to voice doubts about the planned coalition’s feasibility.

The party is split into two groups, according to Agboola, one of which is led by Simon Adesina and the other by Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, who he said is in charge of an illegal National Working Committee.

Agboola questioned the sincerity of political leaders attempting to join the SDP and denounced the internal power struggle. “As long as they lack sincerity of purpose, I am not impressed by any of the so-called political juggernauts,” he said.

Olu Agunloye, the national secretary of the SDP, refuted claims of a party leadership crisis.

He underlined that it is a good thing that more political leaders are joining the party.

“There is no leadership crisis in our great party, the Social Democratic Party under the leadership of Alhaji Shehu Gabam,” said Agunloye, who praised the addition of well-known lawmakers.

Agunloye added that El-Rufai only joined the SDP on March 10, 2025, and refuted allegations that he was responsible for any attempts to undermine the party.