PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has dismissed the efforts by opposition leaders to form a coalition against his re-election in 2027, labeling them “political internally displaced persons” (IDPs) who are plotting to unseat themselves.
Speaking during a one-day presidential visit to Lafia, Nasarawa State, today, Tinubu urged his supporters to disregard what he described as a desperate and disorganized alliance.
“Just don’t pay them any attention. They are the political IDPs. Don’t give them a home. The hope is here,” he said while inaugurating several state projects.
The President commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for his developmental strides in Nasarawa, promising continued federal support to advance the state’s progress.
“Sule is doing well. We will support whatever Governor Sule brings about to work harder for the prosperity and renaissance of Nasarawa State,” Tinubu stated.
In his remarks, Governor Sule appealed for the President’s intervention in accelerating oil and gas development in Obi Local Government Area, where over one billion barrels of hydrocarbon were discovered in 2023.
He emphasized the region’s potential to become a major oil hub similar to Saudi Arabia, with integrated facilities for exploration, refining, and power generation.
Meanwhile, momentum continues to build around a planned opposition coalition.
Key political figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai are reportedly in talks to create a united front to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Confirming the discussions, Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, told newsmen on May 22 that talks were “still ongoing” and aimed at forming a strong alternative based on “the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.”
The movement gained further traction last week when the National Opposition Coalition Group, chaired by former Senate President David Mark, applied to register a new political party—the All Democratic Alliance (ADA)—with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The group includes prominent politicians such as former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.
As Nigeria’s political landscape begins to heat up ahead of 2027, the power tussle between the incumbent and the emerging opposition front continues to intensify.