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The opposition coalition, led by renowned political personalities including as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai, is gaining traction as preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election ramp up. As part of its efforts to strengthen its national footprint, the coalition is said to have recruited key officials to manage activities in the country’s six geopolitical zones.

According to insiders, the alliance plans to present its preferred party program next week. There are continuing discussions over whether to adopt an existing political party or start a new one. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are reportedly being considered as potential platforms. However, some coalition members think that forming a new party will help avoid internal fights over control of party structures, which are typical when merging with established parties.

The alliance has also expressed concerns about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), claiming that the organization has refused to approve applications from new political associations wanting to register ahead of the 2027 elections.

Read Also: 2027: Tinubu’s Running Mate Choice Coming Soon — Presidency Speaks

In terms of structure, the following appointments have been made to supervise zonal coordination:

North East: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar

North Central: Former Senate President David Mark.

Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State,

South East: Peter Obi, former Labour Party presidential contender.

South South: Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation.

South West: Former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola

These appointments are tentative and require final approval from the coalition’s leadership.

As the 2027 election approaches, political observers will be paying close attention to how this coalition frames the contest and whether it can pose a credible challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Election of 2027: The Presidency Discusses Tinubu’s Final Running Mate Selection Date
The All Progressives Congress (APC) must formally nominate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at its national convention in 2026 before Tinubu may declare his running mate for 2027, the presidency has stated. In response to persistent rumors about a potential shift in the vice presidential position, this announcement was issued.

There is no intention to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima, according to an interview released on June 19 by Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s special assistant on communications and strategy. Despite some recent endorsements for Tinubu that did not specifically include the vice president, Onanuga denied rumors that Shettima was being marginalized. This omission, he said, is not out of the ordinary because the Nigerian presidential system typically chooses a candidate first, and then the running mate.

Onanuga also denied rumors that Tinubu’s previous actions as Lagos’s governor, including switching deputies, suggested he intended to unseat Shettima. “Those previous changes were the result of particular political disputes and do not reflect a standard practice,” he clarified. Tinubu and Shettima still have a great working relationship, he stressed, calling rumors of a rupture “beer parlour gossip.”

Read Also: ‘Emergency Measures Aren’t a Stand‑in for Democracy’ – Senate Leader’s Warning to Rivers

Fears of Islamization, which arose during the previous election, have much subsided, Onanuga said when asked if another Muslim-Muslim ticket is possible. It is no longer a contentious subject, he noted, because the majority of names being considered as possible running mates are Muslims.

Additionally, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has voiced their opposition to the APC replacing Shettima. Emphasizing that it might be a bad idea to replace the vice president, the group called for extensive consultations prior to any such action. APC North-East stakeholders met recently in Gombe, where some leaders approved Tinubu without naming Shettima, amidst rumors of internal divisions. Following that, Governor Babagana Zulum urged the party to keep the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.

Former Chief Security Officer Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), who served under the late Head of State General Sani Abacha, has formally announced his plan to run for president in 2027 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate majority leader, informed officials run Rivers State under emergency rule on Thursday that the intervention was a constitutional response to restore order in the face of a crisis, not a substitute for democracy.
During the defense of Rivers’ ₦1.4 trillion 2025 budget in the National Assembly in Abuja, Bamidele, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee in charge of the state’s emergency administration, made the claim.
Bamidele stressed in his remarks to the committee and Rivers authorities that the purpose of the emergency rule, which was established by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), was to stabilize unstable areas.
“In any political environment, emergency rule is not a substitute for democratic government,” he stated.

“Instead, it is an extraordinary measure intended to bring stability in place of instability, peace in place of conflict, and order in times of disorder.”

According to the Senate leader, the committee will keep a careful eye on how the budget is being implemented to make sure that funds are being used for the benefit of Rivers State residents.

“Our responsibility is not just to assess the numbers, but also to make sure that the budget is faithfully carried out,” Bamidele stated.

“Citizen trust in governance is restored when allocations on paper translate into real solutions on the ground.”

He added that ongoing monitoring would concentrate on vital areas including security, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Review of Missing Financial Records Delays — Rivers Administrator
The only administrator of Rivers, Ibok-Ete Ibas, said the lawmakers that the complete evaluation of first-quarter spending was hampered by officials’ refusal to provide important financial data.

Ibas said, “Some state officials withheld important information that was necessary to ensure a more complete capture of expenditures undertaken in the first quarter.”

He said the 2025 budget was in line with the Rivers State Development Plan (2017–2027), even though it might not be perfect given the current situation.

Read Also: Lamido Gets Threat from NNPP Chieftain: ‘I’ll Expose You If Defamation Continues’

“The budget is crafted as a people-centered fiscal blueprint, responsive to present challenges and future development imperatives,” stated Ibas.
On March 18, after months of political unrest, President Bola Tinubu proclaimed emergency rule in Rivers State. Bamidele led an 18-member ad hoc committee that Senate President Godswill Akpabio established to supervise the state’s governance in response.

The panel’s members include Senators Adamu Aliero (Chair, Land Transport), Sani Musa (Chair, Finance), Adetokunbo Abiru (Chair, Banking and Insurance), Peter Nwebonyi (Deputy Chief Whip), and Tahir Munguno (Chief Whip).

The former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has been threatened by Malam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate for governor in the general election of 2023, for remarks made against him in his recently published autobiography.
According to reports, Lamido recently released his autobiography, “Being True to Myself,” which untangled military interventions, political events, and other events in Nigeria from the end of the Second Republic, through transition plans, and into the Fourth Republic.
Ringim responded to the book by accusing Lamido of falsifying his political background and facts during his speech at the party’s event on Wednesday in Taura Local Government Area.

In the book, Lamideo, the head of the NNPP, accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of treating his son Abdulsalam Abubakar unfairly by arresting him and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, among others.
Lamido’s assertion that the PDP lost the 2015 gubernatorial election due to the candidate’s avaricious and nasty demeanor was also contested by Ringim.

According to him, Lamido presents himself in the book as a reliable leader who has never harmed anyone during his political career, but this is not at all the case.

Read Also: INEC Rejects Calls for New Party Registration, Says No Approvals Granted

“Lamido is not treating himself and his political allies fairly because he has made a number of false claims that should be rectified.

In the 2015 general election, when I ran as the PDP’s governorship candidate, he claimed that all of my political allies abandoned me, which is why the party lost the election.

To put it plainly, the former governor is aware of the part he played in the PDP’s electoral defeat, despite the party’s popularity and strength in the state.

“I am well aware of you, including your personal and political history. If you keep slandering me, I might have to tell you things that will make you look bad in public.

Ahead of the general elections in 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resisted growing criticism on how it has handled the registration of new political parties.
The electoral authority reportedly stated that adherence to legal and constitutional requirements is non-negotiable.
The commission urged the public to ignore online allegations that it had registered two new parties, the Independent Democrats and the Peoples Democratic Movement, saying in a clear statement on Wednesday that the reports were untrue.

To be clear, no new party has been registered by the commission as of yet. There are currently 19 political parties registered in Nigeria. Through its official 𝕏 handle, INEC said, “Nothing has been added.”

According to INEC, both of the aforementioned political parties were among the 72 deregistered in February 2020, in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, after having been first registered in August 2013.

INEC Issues a Warning: “No Registration by Blackmail”
INEC emphasized that the party registration process is a legal, not political, exercise in response to pressure from different political leaders and coalitions requesting registration.

“Groups that applied for registration as political parties should submit authentic, verifiable documents and comply with all requirements for registration instead of trying to blackmail INEC with baseless accusations,” stated Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

According to The PUNCH, he reaffirmed that only submissions that completely comply with constitutional requirements would be accepted, adding that the commission places a higher priority on the caliber of applications than their quantity.

“The number of applicants who can successfully satisfy the criteria for registration is more important than the number of applications that the commission receives,” he continued.

Political stakeholders have accused INEC of purposefully delaying the registration of new parties, which has led to the commission’s stance.

Rotimi Amaechi, a former transportation minister, charged that the INEC chairman was impeding opposition initiatives. He stated on Arise TV: “We wouldn’t have won if the current INEC chairman had served as INEC’s chairman in 2015.” God bless Jega. Jega opened the way for us to register APC, and we met all the registration requirements. The current man would not register you if you complied with all of these requirements.

Seun Kuti, a musician and activist who is the leader of Movement of the People, a political organization based on the legacy of his father, Fela Kuti, also criticized INEC’s actions.

In Nigeria, 72 political parties have been deregistered and no new ones have been registered since 2018. In a statement, Kuti stated, “This harsh restriction restricts citizens’ political choices and undercuts true democratic representation.”

APC leader Salihu Lukman and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal have both expressed disapproval of INEC’s stance.

Read Also: Speaker Abbas Backs APC as Only Path for Nigerians in 2027

INEC Describes Difficult Party Registration Requirements
Oyekanmi described the extensive requirements associations must fulfill in order to obtain party status under the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties in his comments to The PUNCH.

These consist of:

12 months before to the general election, a letter of intent must be submitted.

An administrative fee is paid.

submitting documents online using an INEC-issued access code.

Among the necessary documents are:

The platform and constitution of the prospective party.

proof that the Abuja headquarters is being occupied legally.

a membership list with names, addresses, and contact details.

affidavit from the secretary or chairman attesting to the documents’ legitimacy.

Evidence that the National Executive Committee, which consists of representatives from the FCT and at least 24 states, embodies the Federal Character principle.

“An application will be deemed invalid if it is found at any point during the registration process that the same individuals submitted multiple applications or that any part of the application is fraudulent,” Oyekanmi said.

He promised that within the allotted time, applicants will receive regular updates on the status of their submissions.

INEC emphasized that it will continue to handle all election matters with integrity and transparency and that its actions are strictly governed by the law.

It stated that the commission is still dedicated to following the constitution in every election procedure.

Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has stated that as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration works to better the country for the welfare of its people, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is still the only practical choice for Nigerians.
In Kaduna State, the Speaker made these statements after a number of members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officially defected to the APC under the leadership of Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi, a former director general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The APC was reportedly joined by the former NEMA DG, hundreds of his supporters, and a number of former PDP leaders in Kaduna State.

Abbas said that the former NEMA DG made a prompt and sensible choice when he welcomed Sani Sidi into the APC, highlighting that the ruling party is a safe sanctuary for all politicians committed to bettering the lives of their constituents.
The Speaker said on Wednesday that as more members of the opposition parties switch to the ruling party, the APC will only get stronger.

“Every APC member in Kaduna is celebrating today. I can’t recall instances in the last two years where opposition members have united to support and stand with the APC like this one.

We spent more than three months discussing ways for Sani Sidi to get off the sinking ship with His Excellency Senator Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna State, and myself. Governor Uba Sani has worked very hard to win over Sani Sidi.

Read Also: Idris Questions: ‘Has Shettima Ever Told You He Has Problem With Tinubu?’

Sani Sidi joined the APC because, I want to reassure you, he has witnessed the progress made by Governor Uba Sani and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That you have agreed to join APC makes us glad.

“You are in the proper location. This is a peaceful and fulfilling celebration. You are now an integral part of who we are. Your hands are capable and trustworthy. We guarantee that you will receive the same respect and benefits that are reserved for APC foundation members. The Speaker addressed the defectors, saying, “You will not have any reason to regret this decision you took.”

In a separate statement during the event, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani characterized Alhaji Sani Sidi as one of the state’s top political figures, whose choice to join the APC was made for the advancement of the state, especially his people, and not for personal gain.

I don’t find it surprising that he made the proper choice today. He made this choice for the sake of his people’s progress, not for selfish ends. He’s got enough for himself and is comfortable.

As the Speaker mentioned, we held a number of consultations, meetings, and interactions. His main concern in all of those is Kaduna State’s progress.

Claims that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are at odds have been denied by the Federal Government, which maintains that the two leaders are still unified and continue to collaborate “perfectly.”
In recent weeks, there has been a lot of speculation about a supposed rupture between the president and his deputy. According to some rumors, Tinubu might think about choosing a different running mate for the 2027 presidential race.
However, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, addressed the issue in an interview on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on Wednesday, characterizing the rumors as the result of the public’s imagination.

“This feud exists in the imagination of those who wish to believe that,” he stated. I have witnessed the president and vice president walking side by side in the same room. I am referring to the recent past.

The minister vehemently objected when asked if the president was thinking of dropping Shettima for the upcoming election.

“Who told you that?” he said. Did you hear Shettima’s name initially when President Tinubu received the ticket? The president has the authority to select a running mate.

Kashim Shettima has been his choice. They are collaborating flawlessly. I haven’t noticed any signs that the president wants to fire his vice president.

Political Waters Wet After APC North-East Endorsement
The dispute started when Mustapha Salihu, the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East, openly supported President Tinubu’s 2027 goal without bringing up Vice President Shettima.

Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, allegedly led a protest over the omission since it was seen as a blow to Shettima, who is from the area.

Read Also: Policy Dialogue Highlights Need for Purposeful Tax and Economic Reforms

Unverified allegations that Shettima had previously been refused access to the President at the Villa, a claim the government now adamantly denies, added fuel to the rumor mill.

“Not see the President in this country?” Idris asked in response to the report. This situation is not Atiku-Obasanjo. We have a relationship with Shettima and Tinubu. They are doing well and have made great progress.

The Minister further mentioned that Vice President Shettima still represents the President in official settings and has his principal’s complete trust.

“He was representing the President at the banquet hall just yesterday,” he continued. The Vice President speaks on behalf of the President every day of the week.

“Has Vice President Kashim Shettima ever mentioned to you that he and the President are at odds?”

APC chieftains who have been praising Governor Seyi Makinde have been characterized by the APC’s Oyo State chapter as self-serving politicians.
The APC reportedly issued this warning after some party members had commended Makinde for acting in what they described as the state’s best interests.
Nonetheless, the party threatened to punish members who backed Makinde in a statement released on Wednesday by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Olawale Sadar, calling the action a disgrace.

Sadare went on to say that all APC members should back the party’s 2027 takeover attempt.

He continued by saying that the party has conducted due diligence and found that certain people still posing as APC leaders are actually employed by the PDP, or People’s Democratic Party.

“But for selfishness and poor orientation resulting from indiscipline and myopia, no reasonable member of the APC would turn himself into a propaganda machine for the current PDP administration, which has mortgaged the future of the unborn generations by wasting enormous resources on frivolities and inanity in the last six years,” he said.

Given the facts that both of the guilty individuals claimed to be the leaders of our great party up to this point, we thought their actions to be extremely repugnant and reckless.

“We’ve done our research and determined that those who pose as APC leaders and continue to work for the PDP have no justification for committing such ignominious acts, but we would engage them as Democrats because some schools of thought believe they were either misinformed or misrepresented.”