latest
Atiku Holds The Key To Obi’s 2027 Presidential Dream — Political Analyst Emeka Monye.
In Nigerian politics, timing and coalition-building often matter more than individual popularity. As attention shifts toward the 2027 presidential election, a recurring argument in political discussions is that Peter Obi’s chances of unseating President Bola Tinubu may depend heavily on the role of Atiku Abubakar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The 2023 election already reshaped Nigeria’s political landscape. For the first time in the Fourth Republic, three candidates mounted strong nationwide campaigns, forcing analysts to rethink long-standing assumptions about voter loyalty, regional influence, and party strength.
At the start of that race, most expectations pointed to a straight contest between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor, carried the APC banner, while Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, flew the PDP flag.
Then Peter Obi emerged as a major contender.
His departure from the PDP to the Labour Party energized a youth-driven movement that disrupted traditional voting patterns. What was expected to be a two-horse race became a three-way competition, reflected clearly in the final results.
Tinubu won the election with 8,794,726 votes. Atiku came second with 6,984,640 votes, securing 12 states and the FCT. Obi followed closely with 6,101,533 votes and carried 11 states plus the FCT, including major urban and southern strongholds.
The outcome revealed a deeply divided electorate. While no candidate secured an outright majority, the combined votes of Atiku and Obi exceeded Tinubu’s total by over four million. However, the opposition remained fragmented and unable to convert its numbers into a unified victory.
A key underlying issue was zoning and power rotation. After eight years of northern leadership under Muhammadu Buhari, many within the PDP argued that the presidency should return to the South in 2023 based on political convention. Despite pressure, Atiku insisted on contesting and eventually won the PDP ticket.
That decision reshaped the election dynamics. It caused divisions within the PDP, weakened southern support, and opened the space for Obi’s exit and independent candidacy.
In hindsight, Atiku maintained strong support in the North, Obi consolidated the South-East and parts of the South-South, while Tinubu dominated the South-West and secured enough northern support to win.
Looking ahead to 2027, the political equation remains largely similar. Tinubu enters the race as an incumbent with access to state machinery. Obi retains strong youth and urban support. Other figures like Rabiu Kwankwaso continue to hold influence in the North-West.
Many analysts believe that defeating Tinubu would require a broad opposition coalition. One frequently discussed scenario is a possible Obi–Kwankwaso alliance, which would combine significant regional voting blocs. However, such a coalition would still fall short without Atiku’s northern base.
Atiku’s 2023 support of nearly seven million votes remains concentrated in regions where Obi and Kwankwaso are weaker. Without those votes, opposition efforts could struggle to meet the constitutional spread required to win the presidency.
This has led to growing arguments within opposition circles that Atiku’s role may be decisive in 2027. His participation, or absence, could determine whether the opposition vote is unified or divided once again.
However, the challenge is not only political but personal. Atiku has contested the presidency multiple times and remains a dominant figure within the PDP. Stepping aside would require him to shift from candidate to coalition builder.
Trust issues also linger between key opposition figures following the 2023 primaries and subsequent political realignments. Any potential alliance would require strong agreements on power-sharing and political direction.
Ideological differences also present a challenge. Obi’s political appeal is rooted in reformist messaging and youth-driven sentiment, while Atiku represents Nigeria’s established political structure. Merging both blocs would require careful balance to avoid alienating supporters.
Despite these tensions, electoral data from 2023 shows possible pathways for cooperation. Obi’s strength in urban centers, Atiku’s dominance in parts of the North, and Kwankwaso’s stronghold in Kano suggest that a united opposition could significantly alter the electoral map.
In contrast, a divided opposition in 2023 allowed Tinubu to win with just 37% of the vote—one of the lowest winning margins in Nigeria’s democratic history.
As 2027 approaches, the key question remains whether opposition leaders can reconcile ambition with strategy. For Obi, Atiku’s northern support could be crucial. For Atiku, another presidential run risks further fragmentation of the opposition vote.
Ultimately, Nigeria’s elections are often decided not just by popularity, but by alliances and timing. Whether Atiku chooses to contest again or support a broader coalition may prove decisive in shaping the next political chapter.
For Peter Obi, the path to power remains possible—but much may depend on decisions taken by Atiku Abubakar in the months ahead.
The Federal Government has launched a criminal case at the Federal High Court in Lagos against five individuals previously associated with Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP, a firm responsible for managing and reconciling Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in Lagos State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The defendants in case FHC/L/1904 are Olayinka Gafar Oladeji, Ajibade Olufemi Adeyemi, Olatoye Jimoh Bamidele, Okewale Akintunde Oluleke, and Segun Oluwasanmi, who serves as the Media Officer for the Lagos Branch of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR). They face five counts related to cybercrime, specifically conspiracy, cyberbullying, sending threatening communications, and creating an anonymous Gmail account to distribute reports about Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP and its leadership.
Background and Allegations
The charges follow an incident where police withdrew a separate case at a Magistrate Court in Ogba, Lagos, only to inform the defendants that a new suit had been filed at the Federal High Court. Segun Oluwasanmi contends that this prosecution is a retaliatory effort to silence the CDHR, which has previously submitted petitions alleging tax evasion, forgery, and other misconduct by the firm.
Key points regarding the legal dispute include:
-
Perceived Agency Inaction: Oluwasanmi alleges that despite writing to the EFCC, the ICPC, and various police commands, no action was taken regarding the CDHR’s initial petitions.
-
Employment Timeline: Oluwasanmi maintains that he left Alpha-Beta in January 2025, while the internal company investigation involving 16 other staff members—which authorities are now allegedly trying to link him to—began in May 2025, five months after his departure.
-
Police Conduct: The CDHR Media Officer claims that police intimidated a woman by luring her under false pretenses to track his call logs, resulting in physical assault and the destruction of her personal property.
Prosecution’s Case
The Federal Government’s charges, brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), include the following allegations:
-
Threatening Messages: Prosecutors claim the defendants used the email address
concernedstaffd33@gmail.comon May 26, 2025, to send a message threatening the safety of Alpha-Beta’s Group Managing Director, Otunba Akinsanya Doherty. -
Cyberbullying via Media: The state argues that disseminating articles—including reports regarding gratuity payments and allegations of inappropriate relationships involving the Managing Director and company resources—constitutes cyberbullying.
-
Concealment: The fifth count alleges the defendants created the aforementioned Gmail account to anonymously distribute these messages while hiding their identities.
latest
Primary Integrity Under Fire: Police Bosses Sued In Shocking Legal Move By Ex-Ondo Deputy Speaker!.
Ayodeji Arowele, a former Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, has initiated a fundamental rights enforcement lawsuit against the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and several senior officers. The legal challenge, filed at the Federal High Court by his attorney, Kunle Ijalana, names the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Hilary Mazi, ASP Ebito Ephraim, and Yusuf Sanya Isiaka as defendants.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Arowele, a two-term assembly member and APC aspirant for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, claims his arrest on May 16, 2026, was a calculated move to block him from competing in the party’s primary election. This legal push follows recent public criticism from the Ondo State Government regarding the conduct of officers from the Force Intelligence Department within the state.
Key elements of Arowele’s suit include:
-
Constitutional Violations: He is requesting the court to declare that the invasion of his hotel room in Owo violated his rights to privacy, personal liberty, and human dignity.
-
Allegation of Abuse of Power: He argues that the police operation, reportedly ordered by the Inspector-General of Police at the behest of the fourth defendant, was unconstitutional.
-
Demands for Redress: Arowele is seeking ₦50 million in general damages and a court order to prevent the police from further harassing, threatening, or arresting him regarding these allegations.
In his petition, the former lawmaker described a “gestapo-style” raid where roughly 30 officers allegedly stormed his room without a warrant. He further alleged that he and his NSCDC security detail were assaulted during the incident, with one guard reportedly sustaining a dental injury.
Following his arrest, Arowele was invited to the Area Commander’s office on June 10, where he learned the Inspector-General had ordered an investigation into a petition filed by Yusuf Sanya Isiaka. Although he was eventually released on bail from the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Akure, Arowele claims that investigators have continued to threaten him with further arrest and demand his presence in Abuja. The court has yet to set a date for the hearing.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has scheduled a ruling for Thursday regarding senior advocate Mike Ozekhome’s application to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. Represented by Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), Ozekhome, who is currently standing trial for forgery and impersonation, sought the court’s permission for a six-week medical trip based on a doctor’s recommendation. While the prosecution team, led by Aisha Tahir, did not oppose the application, complications arose concerning the defendants’ international passports.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Although the passports were previously ordered to be deposited with the court registry as a condition of the defendants’ bail, the prosecution informed the court that the documents were still in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Chizoba Oji directed the prosecution to produce the passports within one hour; however, they were unable to do so, citing challenges in contacting the investigating officer. Consequently, the judge adjourned the proceedings until Thursday, ordering the prosecution to produce the documents without fail before a ruling is issued.
Case Background:
-
Charges: Ozekhome and co-defendant Ponfa Useni were arraigned on February 27 on 12 counts of forgery and impersonation.
-
The Allegation: Prosecutors allege that the defendants, alongside the late Jeremiah Useni, conspired to create and utilize a forged Nigerian passport under the name “Tali Shani” to support a claim to a property in the United Kingdom.
-
Evidence: Both a Nigerian Immigration Service officer and a forensic examiner have testified that the passport in question is fraudulent.
-
Status: The defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the trial is currently ongoing.
-
latest10 months ago“Social Media Erupts As Jim Iyke Declares Rita Dominic Nollywood’s Most Beautiful”
-
latest2 years agoEdo Political Showdown: Oshiomhole Appears At Presidential Villa As Tinubu Hands APC Gubernatorial Flag To Okpebholo (Photos & Video)
-
entertainment2 years agoLove Knows No Age American Woman Defends Marriage To Young Nigerian Man “I’m Not 70”
-
latest2 years agoOlumide Akpata Strikes Again: Drops Killer Track, Sends Edo State Into Frenzy!(Video)
-
Politics3 years agoNigerians React As Pastor Adeboye Foresees Passing Away On A Sunday After Enjoying A Satisfying Meal Of Pounded Yam
-
latest2 years agoFG Identifies 31 States At Risk Of Heavy Flooding In 2024: See Full List
-
Politics3 years agoBREAKING: Inspector-General Of Police Summons Top Police Commanders For Crucial-Security Challenges
-
latest2 years ago5 NYSC Corpers Perish In Fatal Road Accident Returning From Camp