A planned political gathering involving prominent opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, was momentarily interrupted in Abuja on Sunday following tensions among some delegates.
The disruption occurred due to a disagreement surrounding who would be the spokesperson for Jigawa State during the session organized by the National Political Consultative Group (North) at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
The issue began when Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, introduced a representative for the Jigawa group.
This announcement was met with immediate backlash from other Jigawa delegates, who voiced strong objections to the chosen individual, creating unrest and pausing the meeting.
As the situation escalated, security operatives, including personnel from the police and the State Security Service (SSS), quickly moved to shield Atiku, Rotimi Amaechi, and other high-profile participants.
Calm was eventually restored after some time, and Mustapha Lamido — son of former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido — along with another delegate, were agreed upon to represent the state.
Efforts Toward a Political Alliance
In March, Atiku, who was the PDP’s candidate in the last presidential race, joined forces with other opposition leaders to forge a coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Yes, this is the birth of the coalition of opposition ahead of 2027,” the former vice president told journalists.
Among the major figures backing the coalition are Mr Amaechi and Nasir El-Rufai, a former Kaduna State governor.
The initiative has met resistance from within Atiku’s own party. PDP governors fear it could dilute the party’s influence, while the party’s Senate members maintain that such efforts should be led collectively through party structures rather than individual campaigns.
Still, Atiku maintains his position that unity among opposition leaders is essential to overcoming the ruling APC.
Rumours About ADC
Recently, claims emerged that Atiku and Obi had reached an understanding to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their platform for the 2027 race.
The coalition, however, rejected the speculation. “The public should disregard the story as it is completely false. No such decision has been taken,” coalition spokesperson, Salihu Lukman, said.
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