Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, is seeking an easier path to re-elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he warns that the newly formed opposition coalition risks alienating Peter Obi’s support base if it fails to offer him the 2027 presidential ticket.
Obi, who previously promised to serve only one term, may struggle to gain broad support from the North, even if he becomes the coalition’s flagbearer. This makes Obi the weakest link in the opposition strategy and inadvertently the easiest route to Tinubu’s re-election.
Reacting to the coalition’s decision to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its political platform, Keyamo argued that the development ironically strengthens the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He said the coalition members’ switch to the ADC could be interpreted as legal and political abandonment of their original parties, which might disqualify them from electoral participation if they continue associating with multiple platforms.
Keyamo described the coalition as the final collapse of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming its old guard had been sidelined by younger members, leading to a group of former stalwarts simply seeking political survival. He added that the alliance is essentially a PDP offshoot, orchestrated by Atiku Abubakar, and warned that Atiku’s control of the structure may backfire.
He questioned the sincerity of the coalition’s approach to Peter Obi, accusing the group of attempting to exploit Obi’s popularity without offering him genuine leadership.
“The person who the old, cunning guards want to take for a ride in all of this is Peter Obi. They want his votes but don’t want to give him their Presidential ticket, because this is Atiku’s show simpliciter. That is why David Mark is the interim Chairman. Those who know politics know what I am saying,” Keyamo said.
Keyamo stressed that failing to nominate Obi would result in the loss of the massive following he built in the South-East and South-South regions during the 2023 elections.
“If you do not give Peter Obi the Presidential ticket, you lose his supporters. It is as simple as that. And how can you make someone who won two regions in the last election a running mate to the person who won only one?” he asked.
The opposition coalition formalized its decision to adopt the ADC as its platform during a strategy meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. As part of the leadership structure, David Mark was appointed interim National Chairman, while Rauf Aregbesola, a former Osun State governor, was named interim National Secretary.
The coalition includes key figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, all of whom are expected to lead the challenge against Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027.
