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DW
03-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Can Nigeria's new opposition coalition defeat Tinubu? – DW – 07/03/2025
Faced with increasing defections to the ruling APC, Nigerian opposition leaders have formed the Africa Democratic Congress to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 elections. But can the new coalition deliver? According to the opposition, the newly formed Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) can challenge President Bola Tinubu'sgrip on power at the 2027 general election in Nigeria. The ADC, led by former presidential candidate Peter Obi and ex-Vice President of Nigeria Abubakar Atiku, says it is uniting to address what they describe as the country's worsening economic condition under the Tinubu administration. Nigeria's opposition is reeling from defections of top leaders and politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Aside from Obi and Atiku, the coalition includes former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi. "We are fighting for the soul of the country, that is what this coalition is about," Yunusa Tanko, a member of the new coalition and coordinator of Obi's so-called "Obidient" movement, told DW. "The Nigerian system is in a bad state — there's hunger in the land, rising insecurity, and clear disdain for democratic values," Tanko said. "Many true democrats believe the system must be rejigged. This coalition is a collective effort to fight for the soul of Nigeria and defend the essence of democracy. It's also about making sure hunger doesn't wipe away the people in the midst of plenty." Nigeria has regularly held peaceful elections since the return of democracy in 1999, despite allegations of electoral fraud, political violence and corruption. While supporters of the coalition remain optimistic of victory in the 2027 polls, Tinubu's ruling APC dismissed the new party as a coalition of "retired politicians without electoral value." Binta Garba Massi, a former lawmaker and supporter of Tinubu, told DW: "Coalition in a democratic setting — this is healthy to me. But the process of trying to unseat an incumbent president is another issue." She cited the time when the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power, the APC (which was then in opposition) had formed a coalition. "But now... I think it's an entirely different ball game," she said. Coalitions are not new in Nigerian politics. The country's opposition has tried this before. In 2015, the APC itself was born from a coalition that succeeded in defeating then-incumbent Goodluck Jonathan. That coalition broke the PDP's 16-year grip on power, leading to the election of then-opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari. However, observers note that the dynamics are significantly different now. "I think it's too early to say if the coalition can make any real impact," Mallam Baba Yusuf, a political analyst, told DW. "If we consider the current political dynamics in Nigeria, it seems more like just another political gathering," Baba Yusuf explained, adding that President Tinubu and others in the APC have decades of experience in opposition and were able to unseat an incumbent in 2015. "Their methodology, approach, and mindset were quite different from what we're seeing now. Unless the current opposition leaders significantly change their strategy, I don't see them making much of a dent." Since taking office in May 2023, President Tinubu's government has implemented bold economic reforms—ending fuel subsidies and floating the naira—in an effort to attract foreign investment and restructure public finances. A recent World Bank report stated that Nigeria's economy had recorded its largest growth in the past decade. However, Nigerians have been feeling the pinch; the cost of living has surged, and millions are struggling to afford basic necessities, including food, housing, and transportation. For many grappling with inflation, joblessness, and rising insecurity, the coalition promises a new political vehicle — but its chances remain uncertain. "As they are coalescing, the current administration is strategizing. There is insecurity in almost every part of Nigeria — is that the fault of the APC?" Garba Massi, a Tinubu ally, said. "Some of the people fighting the president today were helped by him to grow politically. But rest assured, APC is still standing strong and waxing stronger. At the end of the day, APC will clinch that seat in 2027 by the special grace of God." Organizers of the ADC coalition say discussions are ongoing with a roadmap to register the party and present a single opposition presidential candidate in the 2027 election.
Winnipeg Free Press
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Nigeria's opposition leaders form alliance in effort to unseat the ruling party in 2027
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's key opposition leaders on Wednesday unveiled a new coalition which they say is aimed at unseating the ruling party in Africa's biggest democracy ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. The Africa Democratic Congress coalition, challenging President Bola Tinubu's All Progressives Congress party, is led by Abubakar Atiku and Peter Obi, both runners-up in the last presidential vote. They are joined by other top figures, including former federal lawmakers and former governors from the ruling party. 'The coalition will stop Nigeria from becoming a one-party state,' said David Mark, a former Senate president and the interim chairman of the alliance, at the unveiling in the capital, Abuja. Tinubu has been accused of plans to turn Nigeria to a one-party state by allegedly using state mechanisms to convince high-profile politicians to defect from opposition parties to the governing party. Although the Nigerian leader has denied the allegations, some of his closest allies, including within ruling party leadership, appeared to be supporting it, triggering concerns in a region threatened with shrinking democratic space. The battle for the country's top job has intensified, even two years ahead of the next elections, as several federal lawmakers and state governors have defected to the ruling party in recent months, and opposition politicians have coalesced to contest Tinubu's second term. The new coalition is reminiscent of the alliance that defeated Nigeria's former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, in 2015 after an uninterrupted 16-year rule. As was the case in 2015, many see the current administration as not delivering on their key promises to improve the country's ailing security and economic sectors. Tinubu's government has battled the fallout of unpopular economic reforms after removing decades-long subsidies and floating the country's currency. The reforms have sparked an inflation crisis as the country deals with a resurgence of attacks by armed groups across the country. Cheta Nwanze, lead partner at SBM Intelligence, a geo-political consultancy, said only a united opposition bloc stands a chance of unseating Tinubu in 2027. 'You cannot remove a sitting government if the opposition is disunited,' Nwanze said. ____ AP's Africa coverage at:
San Francisco Chronicle
02-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Nigeria's opposition leaders form alliance in effort to unseat the ruling party in 2027
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's key opposition leaders on Wednesday unveiled a new coalition which they say is aimed at unseating the ruling party in Africa's biggest democracy ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. The Africa Democratic Congress coalition, challenging President Bola Tinubu's All Progressives Congress party, is led by Abubakar Atiku and Peter Obi, both runners-up in the last presidential vote. They are joined by other top figures, including former federal lawmakers and former governors from the ruling party. 'The coalition will stop Nigeria from becoming a one-party state,' said David Mark, a former Senate president and the interim chairman of the alliance, at the unveiling in the capital, Abuja. Tinubu has been accused of plans to turn Nigeria to a one-party state by allegedly using state mechanisms to convince high-profile politicians to defect from opposition parties to the governing party. Although the Nigerian leader has denied the allegations, some of his closest allies, including within ruling party leadership, appeared to be supporting it, triggering concerns in a region threatened with shrinking democratic space. The battle for the country's top job has intensified, even two years ahead of the next elections, as several federal lawmakers and state governors have defected to the ruling party in recent months, and opposition politicians have coalesced to contest Tinubu's second term. The new coalition is reminiscent of the alliance that defeated Nigeria's former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, in 2015 after an uninterrupted 16-year rule. As was the case in 2015, many see the current administration as not delivering on their key promises to improve the country's ailing security and economic sectors. Tinubu's government has battled the fallout of unpopular economic reforms after removing decades-long subsidies and floating the country's currency. The reforms have sparked an inflation crisis as the country deals with a resurgence of attacks by armed groups across the country. Cheta Nwanze, lead partner at SBM Intelligence, a geo-political consultancy, said only a united opposition bloc stands a chance of unseating Tinubu in 2027. 'You cannot remove a sitting government if the opposition is disunited," Nwanze said.
