Former federal lawmaker Shehu Sani has warned that the opposition’s choice of presidential candidate in 2027 could significantly impact their chances of victory, particularly if they select Peter Obi from the Southeast.
Speaking during an interview with News Central TV from 8:20, Sani analyzed how different opposition scenarios would affect voting patterns across Nigeria’s regions.
The former senator explained that fielding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar could backfire for the opposition due to concerns about power rotation. “If the opposition fields someone like His Excellency Atiku Abubakar as the flag bearer, there is a tendency for the southern part of Nigeria to come together and see that as an attempt to deny the south the opportunity to take over and rule for eight years, and that may not be good for the opposition,” Sani stated.
However, he suggested that selecting Peter Obi would present a different challenge, forcing northern voters to make a regional choice between two southern candidates. “And if the coalition fields Peter Obi as the presidential candidate of the party, the north will now have to choose between Peter Obi from the southeastern part of Nigeria and Tinubu from the southwestern part of Nigeria. And I don’t think there would be much trouble in terms of people voting for the ruling party,” he explained.
Sani warned that both scenarios could favor President Tinubu’s ruling party, though for different reasons. He noted that an Atiku candidacy would raise power rotation concerns, while an Obi candidacy could trigger regional sentiments in the North.
Despite these challenges, Sani acknowledged that collaboration between the two opposition figures could potentially change the outcome.
The former lawmaker also predicted that if the opposition coalition decides to hold primary elections, Atiku would likely emerge victorious due to his established network across the country. See, More, Here>>>>
