Sule Lamido Warns Opposition Disunity Bolsters Tinubu’s 2027 Prospects

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 presidential election, veteran politician and former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has voiced concerns regarding the state of the opposition. In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Lamido, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), suggested that the political fragmentation between Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi is effectively handing an advantage to the incumbent, President Bola Tinubu.

The Cost of a Divided Opposition

Lamido argued that the opposition’s inability to consolidate its forces has weakened its potential to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC). He pointed to the significant number of serving and former governors within the APC as a formidable political machine that requires a unified response. According to Lamido, a strategic alliance—specifically one where Atiku would lead with Obi as his running mate—could have created a more competitive landscape.

The political landscape has shifted significantly since the 2023 election. Following their respective departures from the Labour Party and the PDP, both leaders sought to build a new coalition. While they initially gravitated toward the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2025, internal disagreements regarding leadership and ambition led to further splintering. By May 2026, Obi had moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), where he was adopted as their presidential candidate, while Atiku secured the presidential ticket for the ADC.

Concerns Over National Cohesion

Beyond the electoral mathematics, Lamido expressed a deeper concern regarding the tone of the current political cycle. He suggested that the focus on personality-driven politics and intense propaganda is detrimental to the nation’s fabric. “Whoever wins, Nigeria will lose,” Lamido stated, emphasizing that the current climate of mutual abuse and division is eroding national unity, economic stability, and social cohesion.

He lamented the decline of issue-based campaigning, noting that discussions regarding empathy, development, and national unity have been sidelined in favor of personal attacks. This sentiment reflects growing anxiety among some observers regarding the intensity of political rhetoric in northern Nigeria and across the country.

The Path to 2027

The upcoming election, scheduled for January 16, 2027, will feature a crowded field, including President Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC). The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reported a significant increase in the national voter register, now exceeding 103 million, though the logistics of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution remain a point of focus as the election date nears.

While the opposition leaders continue to pursue their separate paths, their supporters remain divided on the necessity of a formal alliance. Obi has maintained that any potential coalition must be rooted in a structured, formal agreement between parties rather than personal arrangements. As the election approaches, the impact of this continued division on the final outcome remains a central question for Nigerian voters.

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p class=”vbna-source-note”>Source: Channels Television