2027: Tinubu faces stiff opposition as Atiku, Obi, El-rufai, others unite to challenge re-election bid
…Senate, Reps approve Tinubu’s Rivers emergency rule despite opposition
…APC backs NASS approval of Rivers emergency rule, slams Atiku, others
By Sodiq Adelakun
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have officially united to form a coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.
The announcement came during a high-profile press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, where the opposition leaders revealed their plans to contest Tinubu’s second-term ambitions.
Atiku confirmed the formation of the coalition when asked whether the gathering signalled an organised effort to unseat Tinubu in 2027. “Yes,” he responded, confirming the political alignment.
NewsDirect reports that the coalition’s formation follows rising discontent with the current administration, especially after President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025.
This move led to the suspension of the state’s democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly, an action that Atiku and his allies vehemently oppose.
Addressing the press conference, Atiku strongly condemned the state of emergency declaration, describing it as “unlawful” and “a clear subversion of democracy.”
He argued that Tinubu’s actions were an imposition of autocratic federal control over an elected state government.
“We have come together to address the dangerous and unconstitutional actions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on March 18, 2025 – to wit, the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the illegal suspension of the democratically elected governor, deputy governor, and state House of Assembly,” Atiku said.
Atiku further elaborated on the constitutional breaches involved, particularly highlighting that the Nigerian Constitution does not empower the president to remove an elected governor, deputy governor, or the state assembly.
“The procedure for removing a governor is clearly outlined in Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) through an impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly—not by presidential proclamation or arbitrary pronouncement.
“Rather than allowing the law to take its course, the federal government has engineered a crisis to justify this obviously premeditated and brazenly cynical unconstitutional action,” he stressed.
He also pointed out the misuse of Section 305, which allows the president to declare a state of emergency only in extreme cases where public safety or national security is at risk.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi, represented by Labour Party spokesperson Yunusa Tanko, joined the call for the reversal of the emergency declaration, urging Nigerians to defend the country’s democracy.
“We find the federal government’s excuse of pipeline vandalism quite untenable and even laughable,” Obi’s representative said, adding, “If this issue has to do with breach of security in whatever form, the question that should naturally be asked is: Who controls the police, the military, and the DSS? The Governor or the President?”
Furthermore, the opposition leaders called for judicial intervention to strike down the proclamation, warning that allowing such actions could set a dangerous precedent that would undermine democracy across the country.
“We must never allow personal political interests and the desire to hold on to power at all costs to throw the country into unavoidable chaos through brazen subversion of the principles of federalism, democracy, and constitutional governance,” Atiku stated.
Prominent political figures in attendance included former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and the convener of the Alternative, Segun Showunmi.
Apologies were received from former governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, and former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly (NASS) has approved President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The approval was granted in separate voice votes by both the 109-member Senate and the 360-member House of Representatives, with members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dominating the vote.
Following the proclamation, the President’s appointment of Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas as the Sole Administrator for Rivers State, took immediate effect.
Despite the swift approval by the National Assembly, the decision has been met with harsh criticism from several political leaders, legal experts, and civil society organisations.
Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai are among those who have condemned the suspension of elected representatives in the state.
Other groups, including the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), have also expressed their concerns, accusing the government of undermining democracy and the rule of law.
During the National Assembly’s plenary session, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, called for the establishment of a committee of eminent Nigerians to mediate the ongoing conflict during the emergency period.
The lawmakers also recommended that the state of emergency could be reviewed and possibly terminated before the six-month period if significant progress is made toward peace.
The Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, also expressed support for the emergency rule, aligning with the House of Representatives on the formation of a mediation committee.
Both chambers emphasised the need for a joint committee to oversee the administration of the state during the emergency period.
On the other hand, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed its support for the swift approval of President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, praising the National Assembly (NASS) for acting in accordance with constitutional requirements.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, commended both the Senate and the House of Representatives for demonstrating patriotism and national interest in the approval of the emergency rule.
The APC also expressed gratitude towards the opposition lawmakers, particularly those who rose above partisanship to support the proclamation.
Morka emphasised that President Tinubu’s decision to declare the state of emergency was driven by a commitment to ensuring peace, maintaining law and order, protecting critical national assets in Rivers, and restoring constitutional order.
“The President is committed to ensuring peace, maintaining law and order, protecting critical national assets in Rivers State, and ultimately, restoring constitutional order in which all three arms of government – executive, legislature, and judiciary – co-exist and perform their constitutionally assigned functions,” the statement read.
