Abayomi Susan
Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Kalu, has declared that President Bola Tinubu faces no major threat ahead of the 2027 presidential election, citing the division and lack of unity among opposition parties.
Kalu made the remarks on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he argued that the opposition’s inability to form a strong coalition around a common candidate has weakened its chances of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The President has no competition. The opposition is very weak. If they were together, we would start having some sleepless nights. But now, they are not together,” Kalu said.
The senator said the APC’s strength was built on its growing membership base and what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration, including ongoing infrastructure projects across the country.
However, Kalu admitted that the government had not done enough to effectively communicate its achievements to Nigerians, noting that President Tinubu had not been focused on publicising the administration’s efforts.
He also claimed that the president had faced opposition from several critics both within and outside government, whom he described as “archenemies” working against the administration.
Kalu expressed confidence in Tinubu’s performance, rating the president’s administration as having achieved about 65 per cent so far, with the possibility of reaching 70 per cent by September or October.
The former governor further predicted that voters in northern Nigeria would support Tinubu in the next election, based on what he described as the impact of the administration’s policies and projects.
His comments come amid ongoing political movements and realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential contest, as opposition figures continue efforts to form a united front against the APC.
The proposed opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) had initially attracted prominent politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. However, disagreements over leadership and strategy have led to fresh alignments among the major opposition figures.
With the 2027 election approaching, President Tinubu of the APC, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso under the New Democratic Congress (NDC), Atiku Abubakar of the ADC, and Seyi Makinde of the African Peoples Movement (APM) are among the prominent names being linked to the race.
In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), defeating Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
