Elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have warned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi against any alliance to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku is the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Obi is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
The APC elders, under the auspices of the PBAT Mandate Elders Forum, said any political arrangement between the two opposition figures would not prevent Tinubu from securing another term, insisting that the incumbent President had consolidated his political base across the country.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday in Akure, the Chairman of the Elders Forum, Ademola Ijabiyi, said Atiku and Obi would ‘fail woefully’ if they chose to work together against President Tinubu.
Ijabiyi, flanked by prominent APC elders, described the realignment of the opposition leaders as a political strategy that would have little impact on the APC’s electoral structure, particularly in Ondo State.
According to him, the ruling APC remains focused on mobilising its members and supporters ahead of the 2027 elections, while strengthening its structures across the state’s 18 local government areas.
‘Tinubu is marching to 2021. Nothing can change that. What does Atiku have? Can he win in Ondo State? Where can Atiku win in Nigeria? APC has 12 million registered members. Atiku’s party has 3 million members. Peter Obi’s party has less than two million members.
‘And all the elections we continue to win them. They said people have rejected us in APC, but they keep voting for us. They keep voting for APC. So, where’s the rejection? Nigerians appreciate what the Tinubu-led administration is doing. In every election held, APC has won 90 per cent of the time.
‘If Atiku says ‘Tinubu should go’. The only place I know Tinubu will go is 2031. And even if they (Atiku and Obi) combined, they will fail woefully.
‘Let me tell you, Tinubu was not in power when APC won. Every force was against him then; Tinubu is now in government, and you can easily tell what will happen. He’s now in charge,’ he said.
Ijabiyi called on APC members to remain united and resist attempts by opposition politicians to create divisions within the ruling party.
The APC chieftain expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, adding that the administration’s policies and programmes would remain central to the APC’s campaign for the 2027 elections.
He advised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to work together for the re-election of President Tinubu despite operating separate political structures.
Ijabiyi described Aiyedatiwa as the APC leader in the state, responsible for mobilising the party across the 18 local government areas, while describing Tunji-Ojo as a prominent federal government official and political leader with considerable support in the state.
The APC elder said the different structures could complement rather than undermine one another if they remained focused on Tinubu’s re-election.
‘Different structures can reach different constituencies, mobilise diverse groups and broaden the party’s electoral strength.’
He said the party elders would not participate in any contest between Aiyedatiwa and Tunji-Ojo, adding that both leaders had important roles to play in the party’s mobilisation efforts.
‘Our loyalty is to the common cause. Our candidate is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Our assignment is his overwhelming re-election,’ Ijabiyi added.