Elder Asu Beks, President of the Ijaw Media Forum and Publisher of Shipping World Magazine, has expressed skepticism about the viability of emerging opposition coalitions, describing current efforts as fundamentally flawed and unlikely to challenge the ruling APC effectively in 2027.
In analysis reported by The Sun, Beks questioned the leadership prospects within potential coalition arrangements, while highlighting internal divisions that he believes undermine their effectiveness.
“Is it el-Rufai? So, who is there?” Beks asked rhetorically, according to The Sun report, before addressing the challenges facing key opposition figures.
The media executive predicted that existing party structures would prevent effective coalition building. “The coalition will not give it to Peter Obi. As for Atiku, I don’t know how that will work out, because the PDP will not endorse that coalition. The PDP will still want to remain on its own,” he stated, as quoted in the report.
Beks offered a blunt assessment of the coalition’s prospects. “So, for me, I see that coalition as a project that is dead on arrival. I don’t see that coalition as strong enough to challenge the APC in 2027,” he said, according to The Sun.
The Ijaw Media Forum president highlighted ongoing internal conflicts within opposition ranks. “They are already fighting. They have not decided on whether to move with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) or African Democratic Party (ADC),” he stated, as reported by The Sun.
Beks also addressed complaints about electoral commission procedures. “They want to go and register a new party and some people are crying now, oh, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is frustrating us,” he said, according to the report.
Drawing historical comparisons, Beks contrasted current efforts with the successful coalition that formed the APC. “So, this was not how the coalition in 2014/2015, which produced the APC started,” he concluded, as quoted in The Sun.
The comments underscore challenges facing opposition parties in building unified fronts ahead of Nigeria’s next presidential election cycle.
