NEWS
Game Over For 2027 Opposition As Adeyanju Declares Atiku, Obi Have No Chance Against Tinubu
Game Over For 2027 Opposition As Adeyanju Declares Atiku, Obi Have No Chance Against Tinubu
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Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju says the 2027 presidential election is effectively a foregone conclusion if Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi remain on separate ballots, insisting neither has a realistic route to Aso Rock.
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Adeyanju argues that only a united opposition, with either Atiku or Obi stepping down for the other, can mount a credible challenge to President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
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The activist says Tinubu’s incumbency, political influence and control of the machinery of government have significantly strengthened his electoral position compared to the 2023 contest.
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He warns that opposition parties are repeating the strategic blunders of previous elections, a development he believes could hand the APC another presidential victory in 2027.
August 10, () — Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has declared that Nigeria’s opposition may have already lost the 2027 presidential election unless its leading figures abandon personal ambitions and unite behind a single candidate, warning that separate bids by Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) would only clear the path for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.
Speaking during an interview on the Mic On Podcast hosted by journalist Seun Okinbaloye, Adeyanju argued that President Tinubu’s greatest political strength is not necessarily the popularity of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but the inability of opposition parties to forge a formidable alliance capable of confronting an incumbent administration.
According to him, the opposition is once again heading into a presidential election deeply divided, despite lessons from previous contests.
‘No Route To Aso Rock If They Run Separately’
Adeyanju maintained that neither Atiku nor Obi has a realistic chance of defeating Tinubu if both insist on contesting the presidency.
“There is no pathway for any of them. As long as Atiku is on the ballot and Peter Obi is on the ballot, none of them is going to become President”, Adeyanju declared.
He insisted that the only realistic scenario capable of changing the political equation would be for either candidate to step aside in favour of the other.
“If tomorrow Atiku steps down for Peter Obi, then there is a possibility that Peter Obi can become President. Or if Peter Obi steps down for Atiku, then I will now believe that there is a possibility that either of them can become President.”
The activist argued that President Tinubu and the APC are approaching the 2027 election with confidence largely because the opposition remains fragmented.
“The reason why they are confident is because the opposition is not united. If the opposition was united, Tinubu would be packing his things back to Lagos.”
‘Opposition Repeating Costly Political Errors’
Adeyanju accused opposition leaders of failing to learn from previous electoral disappointments, saying they are making the same strategic mistakes that weakened their chances in the last presidential election.
According to him, unless there is an urgent political realignment, the next election could become little more than a confirmation of the status quo.
“The reason why I said the next election is just a formality is because this same opposition repeated this shenanigan during the last election, and it didn’t end well.”
He further argued that defeating Tinubu has become even more difficult because the President now enjoys all the advantages associated with incumbency.
“That time, Tinubu was outside the system. Now Tinubu is inside Aso Rock. He is President and Commander-in-Chief. Is it now that a divided opposition can defeat him?” he asked.
Adeyanju also cited the recent controversy surrounding the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) freezing of an Osun State Government account, alleging that the development underscored the influence the Presidency now wields over institutions of government.
“Tinubu is in the Villa. He is the one issuing directives to independent agencies. Is it now that he will lose?” he queried.
The lawyer also recalled that Tinubu emerged victorious in the 2023 presidential election despite what he described as attempts by elements within the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to frustrate his ambition through policies such as the naira redesign.
“When Buhari was President, Buhari worked against Tinubu. They introduced the naira redesign policy and did everything possible to stop him. He still won.
“Is it now that he is President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces that he will lose?” he asked.
