The Chairman of the League of Northern Democrats (LND), Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has opined that the current opposition coalition lacks the structure needed to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The former governor of Kano State in a statement issued on Friday, noted that while the idea of a united opposition is welcome, the coalition is merely a gathering of former presidential aspirants without the backing of any established opposition party.
He said, “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,” he said.
He contrasted the present coalition with the formation of the APC in 2013, which was a merger of four registered 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).
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According to him, the opposition coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is made up of individuals rather than structured political parties.
Shekarau pointed to the failure of the opposition coalition to prevent the National Assembly from endorsing President Tinubu’s state of emergency in Rivers State as evidence of its lack of political weight.
“What happened at the National Assembly on March 20, 2025, regarding the ‘State of Emergency’ in Rivers State has exposed the so-called coalition.
It is clear they have no control over opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly,” he said.
The former governor recalled how a similar opposition coalition for the 2019 elections failed to achieve its objectives, urging opposition leaders to restrategize if they genuinely intend to unseat the APC in 2027.
“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,” he stated.
Shekarau also criticized opposition politicians for their inability to resist defection, challenging them to properly fund and build their parties while mobilizing grassroots support.
“It is still not too late. I believe that with the right vision, mission, and focus, combined with a genuine sense of purpose, the opposition can change its narrative in 2025 and position itself for success in the 2027 elections,” he added.
