Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have dismissed moves by opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, to form a political alliance against President Bola Tinubu.
The APC stakeholders said the proposed opposition coalition posed no threat to Tinubu’s re-election, insisting that the party would campaign on the record of the administration and present what it described as verifiable evidence of its achievements to Nigerians.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, stated this at the inauguration and official unveiling of the Renewed Hope Project 2027 in Abuja, with the theme, “A New Beginning, A Shared Vision, With Greater Nigeria.” Akume, who is the Grand Patron of the group, was represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Technical, Babatunde Bernard.
He said APC members, chieftains and leaders would use the administration’s achievements to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Akume said the administration was addressing some of the country’s structural challenges, citing local government autonomy and digital reforms as examples of measures aimed at strengthening governance and improving service delivery.
He also said the administration’s policies had generated renewed hope among Nigerians, while the growing interest of foreign investors indicated increasing confidence in the Nigerian economy.
Earlier, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, retired Major General Abdulmalik Jibril, dismissed efforts by opposition politicians to form a common front against the APC.
Jibril described the proposed alliance involving Atiku, Obi, former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke and other political actors as an “exercise in futility.”
He said the outcome of the 2027 election would ultimately be determined by the performance of the Tinubu administration rather than political calculations.
“All put together is an exercise in futility. We have seen them before; they have done nothing and they are not going to do anything again. So, we are not perturbed at all. We don’t care about what they do,” he said.
Jibril urged Nigerians to judge the administration based on its record and the impact of its policies rather than political rhetoric. He also challenged the opposition to identify an administration that had achieved more than the Tinubu government.
Meanwhile, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said his priority is to support Tinubu’s re-election, while denying reports that he is lobbying to become Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Wike, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said he had neither sought the position nor discussed the leadership or membership of the proposed campaign council with anyone.
The minister said he was currently outside Nigeria taking a break after spending more than 30 days supervising projects across the FCT.
“I am outside Nigeria, resting and relaxing after spending over 30 days, commissioning projects, flagging off new ones and inspecting ongoing ones, especially those scheduled for commissioning in December and January, next year,” he said.
Wike said that upon his return, his focus would remain on implementing the FCT mandate in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and improving Tinubu’s electoral prospects in Rivers State and the FCT.
“When I return, our focus will be the continuous delivery of our mandate in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and to further enhance his electoral fortune in Rivers State and the FCT,” he said.
He added that he did not need a formal position in the APC campaign organisation to contribute to Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“Therefore, I do not need to be the DG or even member of the Presidential Campaign Council of Mr President’s political party to contribute my quota by ensuring that he wins handsomely in Rivers State and the FCT,” Wike said.
Also, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has reaffirmed his support for a Southern presidency in 2027, saying his backing for Tinubu’s re-election and political alignment with Wike remain unchanged.
Ortom was reacting to a report by the International Centre for Transparency Nigeria (ICTN), which alleged that he was involved in an arrangement to support Atiku in the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Paul Terhide, Ortom described the allegation as false and inconsistent with his long-standing position on power rotation and equity.
He recalled that ahead of the 2023 elections, he and four other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, known as the G-5, advocated for the presidency to return to the South after eight years of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Ortom said his position remained unchanged and that he had no reason to support a northern presidential candidate in 2027.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Chief Samuel Ortom believes that the presidency should remain in the South in 2027. He therefore has no reason whatsoever to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or any other northern candidate for President in 2027,” the statement said.
He also reaffirmed his political alignment with Wike, saying there had been no development to suggest that he had abandoned the position they shared during the 2023 elections.
Ortom explained that meetings involving him and other prominent Benue stakeholders were consultations aimed at building a broad strategic alliance in the interest of the state.
He further described the SGF, George Akume, as the political leader of Benue State and expressed support for his success in his national assignment.
The developments come as political parties and major political actors intensify consultations and realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
