Laolu Akande, a former spokesperson to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has criticised opposition political groups over what he described as their failure to provide Nigerians with a convincing alternative to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Akande faulted the opposition for concentrating their political efforts on dislodging Tinubu from office without explaining the policies, programmes and solutions they intend to introduce if given the opportunity to govern the country.
The former presidential media aide expressed his concerns on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, where he discussed the activities of opposition politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He argued that the growing alliance among opposition figures appeared to revolve around a common desire to defeat the incumbent president rather than a shared vision for addressing Nigeria’s challenges.
According to Akande, the opposition has failed to communicate a convincing political direction capable of giving voters an understanding of what a change in government would mean for the country.
He maintained that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had demonstrated better political organisation compared to its opponents, who, in his assessment, were yet to establish a convincing alternative agenda.
Akande stated that the opposition had allowed its political message to become centred on removing Tinubu without presenting practical proposals that could persuade Nigerians to support its ambition.
He said, “I think APC has better arrangements. The opposition has allowed a narrative that they just want to remove Tinubu without presenting any viable alternative.”
The former Osinbajo aide further questioned the inability of opposition parties to establish a common political identity, arguing that their activities had so far reflected a lack of coordination and clearly defined objectives.
He observed that Nigerians were yet to receive a comprehensive policy document explaining how the opposition intended to tackle important national issues or introduce changes to the country’s existing governance structure.
Akande also expressed reservations about the calibre of politicians seeking to lead the opposition movement, arguing that the country needed fresh political personalities rather than familiar figures returning to the political stage.
He suggested that the emergence of previously influential politicians within the opposition coalition raised questions about whether the alliance represented a genuine departure from the country’s established political system.
The former presidential aide maintained that voters deserved candidates with fresh perspectives, innovative approaches and clearly articulated programmes rather than political figures whose ambitions were largely built around challenging the sitting administration.
He also cautioned that the opposition’s inability to develop a unified strategy and publish a detailed manifesto could create an advantage for the ruling party during the 2027 elections.
According to him, failure to address the shortcomings could make it easier for the APC to consolidate its position when Nigerians eventually head to the polls.
However, Akande acknowledged the efforts of African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, whom he credited with attempting to introduce different ideas into the country’s political conversation.
He contrasted Sowore’s approach with what he described as the opposition’s repetitive criticism of Tinubu, arguing that many political actors were concentrating on the slogan calling for the president’s removal without explaining what they intended to offer Nigerians in return.
His comments come amid increasing political realignments and consultations among opposition figures seeking to challenge the APC in the 2027 presidential election.
