Senator Elisha Abbo has revealed that strategic coalition meetings are already underway between leading opposition figures across Nigeria, all geared towards unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
These discussions are bringing together former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, and other influential political stakeholders from across the country — including the North, South-East, South-South, and South-West.
Speaking with a clear sense of urgency and direction, Abbo said the North is determined to promote a new political vision centered on unity and inclusion. He declared, “Well, the North is trying to advance political unity. The North is trying to advance political inclusion — that whosoever is the President of Nigeria is the President of everybody.”
In his view, the current administration under President Tinubu has not lived up to that standard. Abbo pointed to perceived favoritism in appointments and budget allocations as major grievances fueling the coalition.
“You’re not the President for the North, you’re not President for the South, you’re not President for Igbo or for Yoruba, or for Hausa or for Fulani — you’re the President of every Nigerian citizen,” he said, emphasizing that this principle is what the North believes in and wants to defend in 2027.
Contrasting Tinubu’s governance with that of former President Buhari, Abbo noted a visible shift in how the North is treated. While Buhari, he claimed, made efforts to balance appointments across zones, “Look at Buhari’s appointments. Minister of Works from where? From the South. Governor of Central Bank — from where? From the South. An Igbo man. So he distributed these things.”
In his sharp criticism of Tinubu’s leadership, he accused the current government of marginalizing Northern interests, particularly in the 2024 budget. “Look at the budget. Go through the budget lines of the Ministry of Works, for example. You put up a project of 13 trillion naira in one place. What did you put in the entire North? Next to nothing.”
He warned that such decisions could not foster national unity. “How do you run a country like that? And how do you want people to be happy?”
On insecurity, he expressed deep concern for the safety and emotional state of many Northerners. “The fact that someone lives in suspicion, someone lives in fear; it is enough to stop him from going to bed. Suspicion is enough.”
Abbo described the new coalition as a serious political movement that cuts across all regions. “The Arewa are coming together, in collaboration with our brothers in the Southeast, in the South-South, and the Southwest — coming together to see how we can unseat him in 2027. And we are serious about this.”
He acknowledged that most opposition parties are currently battling internal crises but expressed hope that clarity would emerge soon. “As I speak now, we will see a clearer picture of the coalition between the two parties. But actually, all the parties are down in crisis now. I sincerely hope you see one that is vibrant and alive.”
Abbo drew parallels with the 2015 general elections, reminding Nigerians of the surprise defeat of the then-incumbent PDP. “Yes, in 2015, PDP was very vibrant. What did their vibrancy bring? They lost.”
He added that the arrogance of power could lead to a repeat of history. “When you think that you have dismembered all other political parties and killed them — you think you are coasting to victory? Nigerians are no longer the docile people they used to be.”
On allegations of corruption, the former lawmaker accused past governments of looting public funds under the guise of national security. “They gave one person 2.1 billion US dollars. In what name? In the name of buying arms. What did they do with the money? For campaign.”
He argued that Nigerians would resist any similar attempt by the current government to weaponize public institutions. “So if Tinubu and his APC think that because they have the Central Bank, they have our common money, our common heritage, our common resource in their pocket, and they want to use our own money to fight us — they will meet us.”
Despite threats of clampdowns or arrests, Abbo said opposition leaders are not afraid. “Forget about dismissing political parties. They’re dismissing opposition. We are here, waiting for them. When the time comes, they will know who is Northerner. They will know who are Nigerian citizens. And we are not afraid of their arrest.”
He ended on a defiant note: “Is it a democratic government that you’re afraid of, when they were not afraid of the military? They don’t even know what is waiting for them.”
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