President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday dismissed those working to form a political alliance against him ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He described them as politically displaced individuals with no real direction when he spoke during a one-day presidential visit to Nasarawa State.
He commissioned several development projects in the state and urged his supporters to ignore these opposition figures, suggesting they were on a path to political self-destruction.
“Pay them no mind. They are political wanderers, searching for where to belong. Don’t offer them shelter. The hope lies here,” the president said.
During the visit, Tinubu also applauded Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State for his developmental strides and pledged continued federal support to advance the state’s progress.
“Governor Sule is performing well. We will back his efforts to work even harder for the growth and prosperity of Nasarawa State. That’s our commitment,” Tinubu added.
Sule, in his remarks, appealed to Tinubu to push for comprehensive oil and gas exploration in the Obi Local Government Area, where significant hydrocarbon deposits were discovered in 2023.
“In 2023, we found hydrocarbon reserves exceeding one billion barrels in Obi. We urge Your Excellency to facilitate the drilling of additional wells and support full development of the site, which will enable us to begin oil production,” Sule said.
He further stated that Nasarawa could become a major oil and gas hub if fully developed.
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“If we establish a deep onshore operation with integrated oil and gas infrastructure—like the model in Saudi Arabia—we can move from exploration to refining, power generation, and exportation of finished petroleum products,” the governor explained.
Meanwhile, efforts by key opposition leaders to form a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 polls continue to intensify.
Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party’s Peter Obi; and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have reportedly been in talks to build a coalition to challenge the APC.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on May 22, 2025, Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe, confirmed the ongoing discussions.
“As you know, there have been continuous talks between Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders, including Peter Obi and Nasir El-Rufai. It’s public knowledge. The discussions are progressing, and soon they will announce their unified direction in response to Nigerians’ demands,” Ibe said.
Momentum around the opposition alliance gained further traction last week when the National Opposition Coalition Group (NOCG), which includes key political figures such as former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, reportedly applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register a new political party—the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).
The group is led by former Senate President David Mark.
