Presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, Donald Duke, has likened opposition parties supporting President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid to political parties that backed former military ruler Sani Abacha’s transition programme.

Duke, a former Cross River State governor made the comparison during an interview on ARISE News on Thursday, where he criticised some opposition parties for supporting Tinubu despite belonging to the opposition.

He recalled the expression “five leprous fingers”, a phrase used in Nigeria’s political history to describe the five political parties registered under Abacha’s military regime in the 1990s.

“Before I go into that, you know, you talked about the opposition, some of the opposition parties, um, supporting the president. It was reminiscent of what happened in, uh, Abacha’s transition.

“You know the five leper’s fingers? Yes. So you now have four leper’s fingers because one of the fingers has been—has dropped off,” he said.

The expression was coined by the late Chief Bola Ige, a former Oyo State governor and prominent opposition figure, to condemn the five parties established under Abacha’s transition programme.

The parties were the United Nigeria Congress Party, National Centre Party of Nigeria, Grassroots Democratic Movement, Democratic Party of Nigeria and Committee for National Consensus.

In 1998, the five parties adopted Abacha as their sole presidential candidate, a move widely criticised as an attempt to prolong military rule under civilian cover.

Abacha died on June 8, 1998, before the plan could be completed. His successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, subsequently dissolved the parties and introduced a new transition programme that led to the return to civilian rule in 1999.

Duke’s remarks come amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition figures divided over strategies to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, had confirmed that the ruling party approached opposition figures, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke; and Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, to support Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Yilwatda said Adeleke, who belongs to the Accord Party, and Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance had agreed to work for Tinubu’s re-election.

He also said Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, had pledged to support the President in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.

The APC subsequently inaugurated its Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election, with the party expressing confidence in Tinubu’s record and reforms.

At the inauguration in Abuja on Wednesday, Adeleke said four years was insufficient for the President’s reforms to yield results, while Soludo declared his party’s support for Tinubu’s re-election.

Wike also pledged to deliver votes for the President in Rivers State and the FCT, despite his PDP affiliation.

The campaign council’s inauguration and the endorsements from opposition figures have drawn attention to political alignments ahead of the election, with the ruling party seeking to consolidate support beyond its membership.

The debate has also revived concerns about the consequences of opposition disunity, following the 2023 presidential election in which opposition candidates, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, contested separately against Tinubu.

Tinubu, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, won the election, while Atiku ran for the Peoples Democratic Party and Obi represented the Labour Party.

Calls for opposition parties to unite ahead of 2027 have since featured prominently in political discussions, with supporters of a coalition arguing that a common candidate could improve the opposition’s chances against the ruling party.

Source: punchng.com

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A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Dele Momodu, has said Peter Obi could defeat President Bola Tinubu in the South-East and parts of the South-South in the 2027 presidential election.

Momodu said Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, remained popular in the two regions and could pose a major challenge to Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He stated this during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, while discussing the opposition’s chances in the 2027 general election.

“I can tell you something. Soludo is the same. I can bet my life on it that Peter Obi will humiliate and disgrace Soludo in Anambra state. I have no question about that,” Momodu said.

He described Obi as a “rock star” in the South-East and South-South, arguing that his popularity could affect Tinubu’s electoral prospects in the regions.

“Peter Obi is a rock star. Where he comes from, especially in the South-East and the South-South,” he said.

Momodu, however, declared his support for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is also seeking to challenge Tinubu in 2027 under the ADC.

He said he would welcome calls for opposition leaders to unite, noting that their ability to work together could influence the outcome of the election.

“I’m supporting Atiku, but I will be very happy when people say, ‘Oh, if you people don’t come together, you are going to lose election,’” he said.

According to Momodu, Tinubu would face a difficult task if Obi retained his influence in the South-East and South-South, as the President would need substantial support across the southern part of the country while also competing in the North.

“The scenario is different this time. Peter Obi will humiliate Tinubu and all his supporters in the South-East and some parts of the South-South. And that’s dangerous for Tinubu,” he said.

He added that Tinubu would need to secure the three southern regions to strengthen his chances of victory, while also seeking support in the North.

“For Tinubu to win, he needs to lock down all the three regions in the South, and he now has to go and struggle in the North, where, number one, he was supported last time by President Muhammadu Buhari,” Momodu said.

Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, while Obi finished third behind Atiku, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Obi secured significant support in the South-East and parts of the South-South during the 2023 election, while Tinubu’s victory was supported by votes from several parts of the country.

The 2027 presidential election is expected to feature renewed competition among major political parties, with opposition figures facing calls to build a common platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Source: punchng.com

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Two leaders of the Accord in Lagos State have urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to clarify his political allegiance following reports of his appointment as coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign in Osun.

The leaders, Oke Sewedo, a party leader in Lagos West Senatorial District, and Oladeji Oluwatosin, the Lagos State Accord chairman, made the call in an open letter addressed to Adeleke and the party’s national leadership.

The letter, made available to the media, was jointly signed by the two leaders under the platform of Concerned Leaders of Accord, Lagos State.

They expressed concern that Adeleke’s reported role in Tinubu’s campaign could undermine the electoral prospects of Accord candidates in Osun and other parts of the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Adeleke won the Osun governorship election on the platform of Accord, a victory the signatories described as a significant milestone for the party and its members.

They said the outcome had strengthened their belief that the party could provide a credible platform for political development, good governance and national transformation.

However, they argued that the governor’s reported involvement in coordinating Tinubu’s presidential campaign had raised questions about his loyalty to Accord and the protection of its electoral interests.

“Your Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, contested and won the Osun State governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party.

“That victory was not merely a personal achievement; it was also a significant moment for our party and its members, who believed that Accord could provide a fertile and credible platform for grooming great political minds and careers, good governance, exemplary leadership and political change, that will birth the new Nigeria of our national dream.

“However, the recent announcement naming Your Excellency as the Osun State coordinator of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign has understandably raised serious questions among party faithful,” they said.

The leaders questioned how a governor elected on Accord’s platform could coordinate the presidential campaign of a candidate from another party while Accord prepared its candidates for the same elections.

They warned that the development could weaken the party’s chances, particularly in Osun, where its candidates would be seeking seats in the Senate, House of Representatives and other legislative offices.

They also said conflicting political signals could create uncertainty among voters and weaken the confidence of members who had invested their resources, time and influence in building the party.

“The concern is straightforward: how can a sitting governor elected under Accord simultaneously coordinate the presidential campaign of a candidate belonging to another political party, while Accord itself is preparing its candidates and supporters for the same general election?

“This portends grave danger to the electoral aspiration and prospect of Accord candidates in Osun State and Nigeria at large,” they said.

The signatories further argued that Adeleke’s reported role could erode the advantage Accord candidates might enjoy from the governor’s electoral support.

The leaders stressed that their concerns were not motivated by personal animosity, political envy or disrespect for the governor’s office.

Rather, they said, the issue concerned the responsibility of elected officials to the political platforms through which they secured their mandates.

They added that Adeleke’s political commitments could affect party members, candidates, campaign structures and the party’s credibility before voters.

“These concerns are not accusations of wrongdoing. They are legitimate political questions that deserve a clear response from both the governor and the party leadership,” the letter stated.

The Lagos Accord leaders urged Adeleke to clarify his political position and demonstrate his commitment to the party if he remained a member.

They also asked him to reconsider his reported involvement in coordinating the presidential campaign of another party if he remained committed to Accord.

“If you remain committed to Accord, we urge you to reconsider your participation in coordinating the presidential campaign of another party and to demonstrate, through your public engagements and political commitments, that you remain supportive of Accord’s electoral interests.

“If your political allegiance has genuinely shifted elsewhere, we respectfully urge you to make your position clear and take the appropriate steps in accordance with the party’s constitution and applicable law, rather than leave members and candidates in a state of uncertainty,” they said.

The leaders also called on Accord’s national leadership to address the matter urgently, transparently and in accordance with due process and members’ rights.

They urged the leadership to issue a statement explaining the implications of Adeleke’s reported appointment to the presidential campaign structure of another party and to engage the governor formally to obtain an unequivocal clarification of his political allegiance.

They further asked the party to explain the relevant provisions of its constitution and the lawful procedures available if a member’s political activities appeared inconsistent with the party’s interests.

The leaders also called for measures to protect Accord candidates at all levels, particularly those contesting legislative seats in Osun, and to reassure members nationwide that their contributions to the party would not be taken for granted.

They said their concerns extended beyond Adeleke and Osun, arguing that the party needed to preserve its credibility as an alternative political platform.

They warned that uncertainty among senior figures could discourage grassroots members, weaken campaigns and undermine public confidence in Accord.

They added that Accord’s presidential candidate, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, and other recognised candidates needed a coherent political structure in which party leaders, members and campaign organisations could work towards the 2027 elections.

The leaders reiterated that their appeal was not intended to create political hostility or disrupt governance in Osun, but to protect the party’s unity, integrity and electoral future.

“We are not asking for political hostility. We are asking for clarity.

“We are not seeking personal confrontation. We are seeking accountability to the political platform under which you were elected.

“And we are not calling for the disruption of governance in Osun State. We are calling for the protection of the integrity, unity and electoral future of the Accord,” they said.

Source: punchng.com

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