Opposition Coalition will defeat President Tinubu even if all 36 Governors decamp to APC

Opposition Coalition will defeat President Tinubu even if all 36 Governors decamp to APC

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has asserted that the growing alliance against President Bola Tinubu will remain unaffected, even if every governor defects to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Lawal made this statement in response to the recent declaration by 22 APC governors who publicly endorsed Tinubu as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

A key player in the opposition coalition seeking to challenge APC’s dominance, Lawal dismissed the endorsement as inconsequential.

He emphasized that the coalition’s focus is on winning over the electorate, not courting political elites or officeholders.

“Let the governors continue to defect, we don’t care. If we wake up one morning and hear that all the 36 state governors and the FCT are in APC, we don’t care.

“It is immaterial. They have only 37 votes; maybe we can add their families. Maybe you get 1000 votes. The voter is what we are targeting, and the voter is the victim of the system we are against,” he said.

He noted that the coalition remains confident in its ability to challenge the APC in the 2027 elections and is expected to unveil its strategy soon.

The alliance, officially launched on March 20, is spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.

However, discussions over which political platform to adopt have delayed a final decision.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) initially emerged as the leading option, particularly after El-Rufai’s defection from the APC, which generated significant interest among his supporters and other northern political figures.