Opposition Can Still Unite for 2027 Election, Says APM Leader

A leader of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Oluwaseun Adeloro, believes the opposition parties can still come together to support one candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Mr Adeloro, who is a lawyer, said the opposition should not give up on forming a coalition, even though key members have their own presidential ambitions.

He shared his thoughts on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Wednesday.

“I see the 2027 general election not as a sprint. I see it as a marathon race,” he said.

“We still have October; we still have November. They can still come together, if indeed they are sincere about rescuing Nigeria.”

His comments come as opposition politicians work to create a coalition for the upcoming election, although major players are still following their own political paths.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently published the final list of presidential candidates, with 21 people challenging President Tinubu of the APC.

Among them are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who is the APM candidate.

Mr Adeloro said he supports Mr Makinde as a potential consensus candidate for the opposition, but he noted that other candidates might not want to step aside.

“Mr Obi will not agree to that, and Abubakar will not agree to that,” he said.

“But why not? What happened before Jonathan was removed? Some group of people sacrificed, and that is history now. If they are serious about removing Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in 2027, being divided is not the way.”

Mr Adeloro also defended Mr Makinde’s promise to “reset” Nigeria in four years if he becomes president. When asked if such a plan was realistic in one term, he said it is possible.

“It is possible in four years,” he said.

“Nigeria is like we are standing on a cliff; any slight tilt can be fatal, and that is the truth.”

Mr Makinde's campaign is based on a “Reset Nigeria” agenda, which includes plans for security, education, and economic management.

Mr Adeloro criticized Nigeria’s management of oil revenues. He argued that the country has not saved enough for future needs.

“We’ve once had a president that saved money, sovereign wealth; we’ve had the Petroleum Trust Fund specially for it, but everything is being shared now, and you cannot control it,” he said.

“Nothing is working in Nigeria. You have to be on the streets to know it.”

The APM leader was asked why Mr Makinde, who was part of the G5 governors that opposed Atiku’s presidential bid in 2023, is now running against the president.

Mr Adeloro said the situation has changed since 2023.

“You don’t stay in the house and know the people that will die in war.

“As at the time the G5 came on board, Tinubu was a candidate. Now he’s the president. It’s a different ball game. You campaign in poems, and you govern in prose,” he said.

During the interview, Mr Adeloro shared his views on Mr Tinubu’s abilities compared to when he was governor of Lagos State. These comments were his own opinions and lacked evidence during the interview.

Mr Adeloro said the APM wants to build on Mr Makinde’s past electoral success in Oyo State as they aim to grow his support across the country.

“We’ve done it before, when he was underrated. Somebody who had never even been a councillor, and he became governor,” he said.

“It can happen again. We will replicate it.”

When asked if Mr Makinde would step down from the presidential race if the opposition did not choose him as their candidate, Mr Adeloro said he does not expect him to back down.

“No,” he said. “He doesn’t look like somebody that will step down for anybody.”

Mr Makinde was officially announced as the APM’s presidential candidate in May 2026 during a ceremony in Ibadan after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His campaign focuses on a proposed “Reset Nigeria” program, which includes reforms in security, education, and the economy, along with more power for state governments.

The APM, founded in 2018, currently holds two governorship seats in Nigeria, Oyo and Bauchi.