A Senior Political Assistant to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Demola Olarewaju, has insisted that the opposition could lose its momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections if the former vice president withdraws from the presidential race.
Olarewaju made the remarks in a post on X, arguing that Atiku remains the only opposition figure currently showing the political capacity to match President Bola Tinubu both within Nigeria and internationally.
He wrote:
“Atiku steps down now and opposition momentum dies totally – an election with the incumbent as contestant is a different ballgame from a transition election.
“2027 is beyond Atiku. Atiku himself is the bridge for us to build and hold an opposition core, post 2027.
“Atiku is the only candidate showing capacity to match Bola Tinubu locally and internationally in 2027.
“Every election is unique and different and everyone should get ready.
“2023 went the way it did because Buhari wasn’t too invested in Tinubu’s victory, that’s why APC lost Lagos and communal rigging was allowed in many states.”
Olarewaju maintained that the 2027 presidential election would present a different political contest because an incumbent president would be seeking another term in office.
According to him, Atiku’s participation in the race is important not only for the 2027 election but also for sustaining and strengthening the opposition beyond the next electoral cycle.
His comments come amid continued debate over the possibility of opposition parties and political leaders presenting a united front against the ruling party in the 2027 presidential election.
The aide’s argument treats Atiku as both the opposition’s strongest 2027 challenger and a bridge for its longer-term survival, making the distinction between Atiku’s electoral strength and the opposition’s institutional dependence on him central to assessing the claim.
