2027: Former APC Vice Chairman Urges Obasanjo, Ex-Leaders to Unite Against Tinubu

By: Bayero Ade

Salihu Moh Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo to rally past Nigerian leaders to form a formidable political coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a letter addressed to Obasanjo and referencing other former leaders, including Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, Lukman emphasized their shared responsibility for the current state of leadership in the country.

Lukman expressed concern over the refusal of opposition leaders, including three former governors, to unite under a single political platform due to personal political ambitions. He lamented that their actions undermine the possibility of building a credible alternative to the ruling APC.

“Without blaming anyone, whether today’s leaders are made by God or Satan, all of you, individually and collectively, have shaped the current leadership of Nigeria,” Lukman stated, pointing to a recurring pattern of elite manipulation in political succession, which he believes has deepened the nation’s socio-political and economic challenges.

He argued that the practice of imposing successors has hindered the emergence of visionary leadership, which he described as “Satanic.” According to Lukman, there is an urgent need to re-engineer the political system to create a party capable of producing leaders with “Godly” values.

Lukman accused some opposition figures of resisting unity efforts due to their individual ambitions to contest elections, saying: “Already, some opposition leaders are resisting efforts to form a united political platform. Three of them are former governors, and a group linked to one of the legacy parties that formed the APC has begun selecting leadership lineups and imaginary candidates for an opposition party that does not yet exist.”

He warned that such divisive moves are reminiscent of old political strategies that prioritize personal interests over national progress.

Lukman urged decisive action from Obasanjo and other former leaders to unite the opposition and present a credible political alternative capable of challenging the APC in 2027, emphasizing that only a united front can produce leaders committed to meaningful change.