Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has dismissed the likelihood of any opposition coalition unseating President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.

His remarks follow a recent coalition of opposition politicians including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi who criticized the federal government’s handling of the Rivers State political crisis.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau described the coalition as a gathering of “prospective presidential and vice-presidential aspirants” rather than a unified political force.

“None of the principal actors is carrying the leadership of his party along. More so, a ‘gang-up’ of individuals, no matter their big names, can never be considered a merger because, by law, only registered parties can formally and officially merge,” he stated.

Shekarau also pointed to the National Assembly’s approval of Tinubu’s emergency rule in Rivers State as proof of the coalition’s lack of influence over opposition lawmakers.

“No amount of noise-making or coming together by individual aspirants in the name of opposition will make any impact at elections unless the full structure of leadership at all levels of the opposition parties is carried along,” he added.