Atiku, El-Rufai Leads Opposition Coalition To Challenge Tinubu In 2027.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and El-Rufai alongside other prominent political figures, has announced the formation of a new opposition coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Speaking at a press conference at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku, flanked by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Labour Party spokesperson Yunusa Tanko, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha, confirmed the coalition’s objective. When asked if the gathering marked the launch of a movement to remove Tinubu from office, Atiku responded unequivocally:
“Yes.”
Opposition Condemns State of Emergency in Rivers
The coalition strongly criticised Tinubu’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the state’s House of Assembly. Atiku described the move as unconstitutional, urging Nigerians to reject what he termed an abuse of presidential power.
“This action is not only unlawful but also a clear subversion of democracy and an imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government,” he stated.
Atiku argued that the Nigerian Constitution does not grant the president the authority to remove an elected governor. He cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows for a state of emergency only in extreme cases where national security, public safety, or sovereignty is under threat. He further noted that even if the declaration were valid, it would require a two-thirds majority approval from the National Assembly, which had not been obtained.
Call for Legislative and Judicial Intervention
The coalition called on the National Assembly to reject Tinubu’s declaration and urged the judiciary to nullify it, warning that such actions could set a dangerous precedent for the arbitrary removal of elected officials.
“Rather than allowing the law to take its course, the federal government has engineered a crisis to justify this obviously premeditated and brazenly cynical unconstitutional action,” Atiku asserted.
He also referenced previous administrations that had declared emergency rule in conflict-ridden areas without removing governors, stressing that Tinubu’s decision represented a “new low for our country.”
A United Opposition Movement
The press conference was attended by key opposition figures, including Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi (represented by Yunusa Tanko), former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, and National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh.
Notable absentees included former governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), as well as former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu, who reportedly sent their apologies.
The formation of this opposition coalition signals the beginning of what could be a significant political movement ahead of the 2027 elections, with leaders pledging to unite against Tinubu’s administration in a bid to restore what they describe as constitutional governance.
