2027: Primate Ayodele urges opposition parties to form coalition to unseat Tinubu
On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Primate Elijah Ayodele, the leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, called on Nigeria’s opposition parties to form a strong coalition if they hope to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Oluwatosin Osho, Ayodele warned that the opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), would struggle to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid if they do not unite. He emphasized that without a united front, the 2027 election would be a “smooth ride” for the president.
“If PDP, Labour, and NNPP do not unite to form a coalition and propose one rugged and solid candidate for the 2027 presidential election, they won’t be able to unseat President Tinubu,” Ayodele said. “It will be a smooth ride for the president in 2027 except there is a strong coalition from the major political parties.”
Focusing particularly on the PDP, Ayodele expressed doubt about the party’s chances if it decides to field Atiku Abubakar again, stressing that such a move would lead to a “disaster” for the party. He also pointed out that no sitting governor in the PDP has the capacity to win the presidency in 2027.
“If PDP decides to field Atiku, it will be a disaster, they will lose the election,” Ayodele predicted. “If PDP wants to stand alone, they will run into debt, and as it stands, no sitting governor in the PDP has the capacity to become president. They are not strong enough.”
Ayodele’s remarks underline the growing sense of urgency within the opposition about the need for unity and a strategic approach if they hope to mount a serious challenge to President Tinubu’s second term bid in 2027.
