Ahead of the 2027 election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and other coalition leaders have met to gain the support of certain northern leaders in their effort to defeat President Bola Tinubu.
The meeting, convened by the National Political Consultative Group (North), was held behind closed doors on Sunday at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
On March 20, Atiku, Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and others in Abuja announced the formation of a coalition aimed at challenging President Boka Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The announcement sparked widespread debate about the prospects of opposition unity, with political stakeholders expressing varied opinions.
Attendees included former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara; and former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
Also present were the National Secretary of the Coalition for United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh; Kashim Ibrahim-Imam; and the 2023 Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, among others.
The meeting began shortly after 3 p.m. and concluded around 7pm, with all the conveners and participants refusing to make any comments.
According to reports, delegates from various states, particularly the 19 northern states spoke on the current state of the nation.
The discussions mainly focused on issues such as security, national unity, and the need for competent leadership to ensure effective governance.
However, about two hours into the meeting, chaos erupted when delegates from Jigawa State disrupted the proceedings.
Tensions rose when former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, announced a delegate to speak for the state.
In protest, several Jigawa delegates stormed the stage, blocking the delegate from speaking and insisting they would not be represented by those named.
As the confrontation escalated, security personnel, including members of the Nigerian Police, DSS, and private guards, quickly formed a protective barrier around key figures such as Atiku, Amaechi and others.
Calm was restored after several minutes of appeals, as Mustapha Lamido, son of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, along with another delegate, was chosen to speak on behalf of the state.
A reliable source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to comment publicly, told newsmen that northern political leaders gathered to discuss what they described as the worsening issues of poverty, insecurity, and hunger across the country particularly in northern Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The source said, “Obi and Amaechi, in their brief remarks, stated that President Tinubu’s administration is driving the North deeper into poverty, which is worsening the region’s insecurity.
“Ahead of 2027, they urged northern leaders to wake up and unite to rescue the region from Tinubu’s harsh economic policies. They called for northern unity and support for an alternative government.
“In their remarks as well, Atiku and Malami also blamed the Tinubu administration for many of the challenges facing the North. They encouraged stakeholders to support the ongoing efforts to unseat Tinubu in 2027.
“During the technical session of the meeting, stakeholders from various states strongly agreed that the North must fully support the ongoing coalition of opposition parties.
“They agreed to set up four committees to look at all the issues. So, they will issue a communique tomorrow (today).”
Speaking with newsmen about the purpose of the meeting, the National Secretary of the CUPP, who was in attendance, said it was aimed at reviewing the current situation in the region.
Ahmeh explained that the coalition leaders took time to address the economic, security, and other pressing challenges facing northerners under the Tinubu administration.
He stated, “It is just a consultative meeting on the issues affecting the north. So, we discussed them and came up with solutions. Details will be made public tomorrow (today).”
The Punch
