Television Nigerian

As coalition talks heat up ahead of the 2027 presidential election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, met with northern political leaders from across the 19 northern states on Thursday.
According to reports, hundreds of political figures from Abuja came together for the event, which was organized by the secretariat of the newly formed coalition and was sponsored by the National Political Consultative Group (NPCG) North.

Atiku Abubakar, a prominent supporter of opposition unity, reflected on his tenure alongside former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his speech.

In particular, he recalled how they responded to the Boko Haram insurgency, mentioning the directive given to military chiefs to either put an end to the insurgency or step down.

“This ultimatum was successful. In just a few weeks or months, the insurgency was crushed. It was finished by the time we left. I was totally taken aback. However, when we departed, it reappeared,” Atiku said, stressing that the problem was not entirely resolved.

Additionally, Atiku emphasized the administration’s initiatives to address police shortcomings, bringing up the notable underpolicing in Nigeria as documented by the UN.

“I told the president that Nigeria is woefully underpoliced,” What can we do, he asked? I informed him that there were other police colleges that had been shut down throughout the states and recommended that they be reopened with additional policemen. And that’s exactly what we did,” Atiku remembered.

Atiku continued by outlining how the Obasanjo government adopted a novel strategy for acquiring police weapons, avoiding onerous contracting processes and speaking with police personnel and diplomats directly to obtain necessary equipment.

But in spite of these initiatives, Atiku pointed out that Nigeria still has a terrible police-to-population ratio, with 340,000 officers charged with protecting 240 million people. He drew attention to the sharp contrast with Egypt, which has one million police officers for every 100 million citizens.

Atiku emphasized the necessity of thorough reforms in Nigeria’s security sector, saying, “These are challenges we must face head-on.”

Atiku then turned to education, considering the measures implemented to increase access, especially in the North, under the Obasanjo government. He referenced the Universal Basic Education Act, which mandated that all Nigerian children receive free primary and secondary education, as well as the implementation of an education tax to fund educational programs.

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While describing a trip to Daura, President Muhammadu Buhari’s hometown, where he saw the scope of the Almajiri situation, Atiku too broke down in tears.

“I almost cried,” he remarked. There were throngs of Almajiri children on the flight from Katsina airport to Daura. Many of our early republic leaders attended the erstwhile Katsina College, which is located here. Almajirai—young lads in their twenties, thirties, and forties, from Katsina to Daura and back again—have taken over it today, he claimed.

“These are highly important problems. They are about our kids and grandkids as well as us.

“Thank God I’ve lived my life,” I say to my kids. But you and your children are the focus of this. These difficulties must be addressed.

In a high-stakes political gathering that could reshape Nigeria’s leadership landscape, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, and other prominent figures held an expanded coalition meeting in Abuja, signaling a possible united front to address the nation’s deepening challenges.

At the meeting, Peter Obi delivered a stirring address centered on national unity, accountability, and economic revival through agriculture. “I know we have issues here and there,” Obi began. “But this is the time to build trust among ourselves, believe that we are one, and know that we can save this country. We can survive our population.”

Obi urged Nigerians to move beyond religious and ethnic voting patterns and instead build confidence and capacity. He called on citizens to hold their leaders accountable, highlighting that governance — not mere politics — is central to solving Nigeria’s problems.

Using Ukraine as a benchmark, Obi lamented Nigeria’s underperformance in agriculture. “Ukraine, with just 600,000 square kilometers, produces up to 60 million tons of rice. Nigeria, six times its size, cannot produce 10% of that. The entire North is even larger than Ukraine and yet remains underutilized.”

He also decried the decline of former industrial hubs like Kano and Kaduna. “We used to go to Kano for cash; now, nothing is happening there. Kaduna has no industries left. That’s the poverty, and where there’s poverty, there’s insecurity,” he warned.

Reiterating his long-held belief, Obi stated, “The North can change Nigeria. Our greatest assets are in the North. We can make more from agriculture than we ever made from oil.”

The meeting concluded with a shared understanding among attendees that Nigeria’s future depends on visionary leadership, economic investment, and national cohesion — a message that resonated across political divides.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has been urged by former Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) chairman Sam Amadi to refrain from behaving like a king.
He encouraged Atiku to follow Peter Obi’s example in the Labour Party (LP).
According to Amadi, Atiku needs to shed his excessive “royalty” and act like a company leader or professional.

Amadi, who is also the director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, cautioned Atiku from behaving like an emir, ooni, or obi via his 𝕏 account, insinuating that Nigeria is neither a “emirate nor a kingdom.”

Atiku is not so horrible, according to the former NERC boss, who said he might be president.
“Atiku may become president,” he stated. He’s not awful at all. However, he must address the issue of excessive “royalty.” Let him be like @PeterObi.

Instead of being an Emir, Ooni, or Obi, act like a professional or company leader. Nigeria neither possesses a kingdom nor an emirate.

According to Amadi, if Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s previous presidential candidate, is not included in the opposition coalition, no one will be able to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

According to rumors, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has offered Peter Obi the position of vice president under a single-term coalition ticket ahead of the 2027 elections. This is the context of Amadi’s remarks.

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Amadi’s statements highlight Obi’s pivotal role in any possible attempt to unseat Tinubu, despite Obi’s insistence that his only goal is to form a coalition to solve problems like hunger, poverty, and the declining quality of healthcare and education in Nigeria.

Amadi, the director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, reaffirmed Tuesday on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) that Peter Obi is essential to any candidate aiming to take on Tinubu in 2027.

According to him, “the truth is that nobody can defeat Tinubu without @PeterObi.” You have to determine what this truth means. This accounts for the gloom and violence on this street.
With the words, “The circle can be squared with respect and deep good faith,” Amadi emphasized the significance of solidarity and regard for one another in any political partnership.

There is growing confusion among supporters of Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, over his alleged move to pitch his tent with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election.

This comes on the heels of his conspicuous absence from a high-profile endorsement event at the Presidential Villa where the All Progressives Congress (APC) formally declared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 polls.

The event, organised by the APC National Working Committee to showcase party unity ahead of 2027, took a dramatic turn when Governor Alia arrived only after the endorsement had concluded, further fueling speculation about his wavering loyalty and intensifying tensions within the ruling party.

A source at the meeting said the event was almost over and members of the party were wondering why the governor was missing from such an important gathering, especially since he was known to be in Abuja and had earlier attended the North Central meeting of the party.

Read Also: Government Responsible for Issues in PDP, Labour Party – Peter Obi

It was at that point, the source added, that a close aide quickly placed a call to him, prompting the governor to rush down to the venue, but by then, the event was virtually over.

Multiple sources confirmed that Alia had demanded a dual endorsement — one for Tinubu and one for his reelection bid, as a condition for participating in the event.

When this was rejected by the party hierarchy, the governor reportedly pulled out of all negotiations and intensified secret talks with ADC operatives, raising alarms among political observers and grassroots supporters alike.

Alia’s alleged defection plan has left his camp in disarray, with aides and loyalists offering conflicting accounts of his next political move.

Some insisted that he remains firmly within the APC, while others quietly admit that “serious consultations” are ongoing with the ADC, coordinated by opposition figures including former Governor Gabriel Suswam.

The confusion is further compounded by the longstanding cold war between Governor Alia and his political godfather, Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

The rift began shortly after Alia’s inauguration in 2023 and has since plunged the Benue APC into deep crisis, resulting in two parallel party structures.

While Akume reportedly controls over 80% of the APC structure in the state, Alia has entrenched a rival faction, sidelining loyalists of the SGF and attempting — albeit unsuccessfully — to oust the APC State Chairman, Mr. Austin Agada, a known Akume ally.

That attempt was nullified by a Federal High Court ruling in Makurdi on November 28, 2024, which reinstated Agada and dealt a blow to Alia’s efforts to consolidate control.

Despite the legal setback, Alia has continued to operate a parallel executive, fueling widespread belief that he is preparing to dump the APC entirely.

His alleged involvement in secretly funding Suswam’s failed bid for PDP National Chairman further raises questions about his true political intentions and willingness to build alliances across party lines.

“What Governor Alia is doing is not politics as usual. He is moving like a man without a party,” said a senior APC member in Makurdi.

“He hasn’t declared for ADC, yet everything he’s doing shows he’s no longer with us.”

For now, the governor remains silent — neither confirming nor denying his rumored exit from the APC.

But his actions speak louder than words.

“By boycotting a defining moment for the party and deepening ties with rival forces, Alia has not only alienated much of the APC base in Benue but also cast a long shadow over the party’s unity heading into 2027, a political analysts said.

According to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, the government is to blame for the internal problems inside the party and the PDP.
He made the assertion in a 7-minute, 16-second video that was making the rounds on the party’s WhatsApp network on Saturday while addressing a group of youthful followers.

The former governor of Anambra State responded to a young person who seemed troubled by Obi’s apparent indifference to the LP’s crisis by saying, “What is happening in the Labour Party and the PDP is caused by the government, quote me anywhere.”

Obi also committed to running on the Labour Party’s platform in the 2027 election.

Obi responded, “I will still continue to run in the Labour Party,” when asked which platform he planned to run on in the 2027 elections. My affiliation is with the Labour Party.
In addition, he stated, “There was a problem in our party previously. He was President Yar’Adua. He called Prof. Maurice Iwu, the chairman of INEC, when I approached him, and he informed him that I didn’t want any issues with any parties. We have to make it right.

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However, today’s issues are intentional and brought on by the system, and they affect all parties. I want to tidy up a few of these things if I have the chance.

The reason parties will work so successfully is that a system cannot function without significant resistance.

He urged Nigerians to be accountable for making sure their votes count because, despite the fact that political parties may pay agents to represent their interests, voters ultimately have the final say over whether or not the people’s ballots count.

The standard bearer for the LP urged Nigerian youths and voters not to give up since those who stand to gain from the status quo will also oppose any beneficial modifications.