As defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) continue, former Senator Shehu Sani has cautioned that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could secure a sweeping victory in the 2027 general elections unless Nigeria’s opposition parties form a united coalition.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Sani, who previously represented Kaduna Central in the 9th Senate, emphasized that internal disunity is severely undermining the opposition’s ability to present a credible challenge to the ruling party.
“There is no way you can evict a ruling party without a coalition,” he said. “Only through unity can opposition parties set aside narrow interests for the greater good of democracy.”
Sani noted that major opposition parties — including the SDP, PDP, Labour Party, and NNPP — have shown little interest in coalition talks, a situation he warned could result in another landslide victory for the APC. Reflecting on the 2023 elections, he said the opposition’s failure to unite contributed significantly to Tinubu’s win.
He further argued that Nigeria’s political system lacks ideological clarity, describing most parties as “platforms to pursue personal ambitions” with “manifestos that are almost identical” and differentiated only by name.
Sani dismissed any expectation that President Tinubu should help preserve opposition structures. “It is not Asiwaju’s job to keep opposition parties intact. They must do the hard work of resolving internal issues and retaining their members.”
Pointing to the ongoing leadership crises within the PDP, Sani predicted further defections to the APC. “You can’t function in a party with two national secretaries or factions fighting over primaries. It creates uncertainty for governors, senators, and other aspirants,” he said.
He concluded with a warning that if the opposition fails to reorganize and collaborate, Nigeria may effectively become a one-party state, not by legal imposition, but by political default.
