As the move to form a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027 intensifies, Sunday PUNCH has learnt that the ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and zoning dispute are stalling negotiations among political leaders.

A reliable source involved in the coalition discussions revealed that the camps of 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, were demanding that power should stay in the South for eight years.

The source revealed that the delay in negotiations was due to uncertainty surrounding whether Atiku would run.

According to him, the participants in the coalition drive, particularly from the South, were hesitant to fully engage in the discussions to avoid jeopardising their ambitions and zones.

Coalition moves unveiled

On Thursday, the 2023 presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku; Labour Party?s Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, announced the formation of a coalition to oust President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

There had been a growing debate about whether opposition parties should unite to challenge President Tinubu?s administration. The discussion later gained momentum, as various political figures expressed differing views.

Atiku had consistently emphasised the need for unity among opposition parties.

In his comments on March 8, 2025 he revealed that he was actively working to unite opposition groups to form a coalition to remove the APC from power.

Following El-Rufai?s shift from the APC to the Social Democratic Party on March 10, discussions among opposition leaders gained momentum.

Atiku, along with other opposition figures, declared that the last Thursday gathering marked the official beginning of the coalition.

He said, ?Yes, this is the birth of the coalition of opposition ahead of 2027.?

Other opposition leaders present at the press conference included a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh; and the Convenor of the Alternative, Segun Showunmi, among others.

Among those involved in the coalition, but whose apologies for absence were noted, were leaders from the ruling APC, including former governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); and the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, among others.

Why talks stalled

Our source disclosed that negotiations were stalled because the key figures in the coalition discussions intended to run in the 2027 election.

He stated, ?What I can tell you is that quite a lot of people are involved in the coalition. However, they fear zoning. You know that Obi and Amaechi are very much interested in replacing Tinubu, so their camps want power to remain in the South.

?Meanwhile, the Atiku camp is also pushing for the former Vice President to take another shot at the presidency in 2027. So, largely, the zoning issue and Atiku?s uncertain position on 2027 are stalling the negotiations.

?The southerners who want to replace Tinubu are afraid to get involved without knowing Atiku?s stance. If they get involved and, in the future, the coalition declares the race open to all, and Atiku grabs it like he did in 2019 and 2023 in the PDP, most of them would jeopardise their ambitions and potentially shortchange their region.

?This is why many are not participating openly or attending the meetings, like at the last press conference. So, that?s the situation. It?s one thing to agree on a coalition, as they have all agreed on the need for oppositeion political parties or their leaders to come together. But without clarifying whether they support another Southerner taking over from Tinubu (zoning), the discussion will remain unresolved. It may even give a few leaders reasons not to participate.?

Speaking on this, the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh, and a close ally of Obi confirmed the camp?s position, stating that stakeholders should support a Southern candidate to run in 2027.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Ahmeh expressed confidence that a Southern candidate could defeat Tinubu in 2027.

He stated, ?We cannot disregard the unwritten agreement between the North and South. So, the best option for those of us in the coalition is to allow the South to complete their eight years, so that the North can come. So, we have to get a southern candidate with the momentum to lead the coalition.

?I am a northerner. By all definitions, by all geographical location, I am a northerner. But one thing I am stating clearly is that we already have an unwritten agreement. We agree that power shall rotate between the South and North. And it shall be on eight years basis. But it is not automatic because it is still subject to elections. People will contest elections, and Nigerians will decide.

?Parties involved in the coalition should be able to consider that this agreement is already there, and we should honour it. The North must understand that all it takes for a country to develop is the principle of understanding, sharing and co-existence, dictated by the fact that we carry and accommodate all corners, regions, and tribes of this country through consensus.

?For me, I believe that this arrangement will be of benefit to the North. The reason why the government system has failed in Nigeria is that we are driven by mediocrity. We are not looking at competence, merit, and ability. If we are looking at competence, merit, and ability, and governance starts to work, I know that in the nearest future, when we have a robust democracy, governance will work for the interests of the people. Then this issue of region, this issue of tribe, will disappear automatically.

?But for now, since it exists, it is in our interest that we do not break that unwritten agreement. Because if we break it, and if a Northern is running on the mutual coalition discussion, I assure you that before 12 o?clock, there will be a consensus with the South to defeat that coalition.?

He Insisted that for the coalition to grow into a majority and for the opposition to win the election, there must be an agreement for a southern candidate.

NNPP, PDP oppose zoning

Buba Galadima, a leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and a close ally of the NNPP?s 2023 Presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, clarified that there was no agreement between the North and South.

While speaking with Sunday PUNCH, Galadima emphasized that opposition parties should focus on ensuring credible elections rather than worrying about the zones from which presidential candidates originated.

He stated, ?I don?t discuss the North and I don?t discuss the South when I speak on democracy. Okay. If Tinubu is finishing and has done well, and Nigerians decide to vote for Seyi Tinubu, I have no grudge, provided that there is a free and fair election.

?I have no grudge because that is democracy. Opposition should be more concerned about credible election, than this North and South thing.

?And anybody who tells you there is any understanding or agreement between the North and South, tell him he?s a liar. And he doesn?t understand what democracy is. He doesn?t understand what politics is. As far as I am concerned, I am talking about democracy, I am not talking about North and South.?

The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, stated that the coalition ticket should be open to all Nigerians.

In an interview with The PUNCH, Osadolor claimed that President Tinubu, a Southerner, had damaged the economy, and therefore, coalition leaders should abandon the North-South zoning system.

APC, Atiku trade words over coalition

The APC Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, ridiculed the coalition discussions, stating that a building could not stand on a faulty foundation.

Ibrahim, while speaking to Sunday PUNCH, referred to Atiku as a contestant who was solely focused on his ambition.

He stated, ?A building on a weak foundation cannot stand. So, the coalition is already faulty from the beginning. Atiku is always advancing just his interest. Atiku is just a contestant. He is not a democrat. He is a contestant as far as he is concerned. Everything he is doing, if it is not going to favor his candidature, he is not going to do it.

?So, he is not doing it in the interest of the nation. He is doing it in his own personal interest. Now, when personal interest supersedes national interest, there is just no way you can win the heart of the nation.

?So, no way, it won?t work. This thing has been done before. It failed, they are going to do it again, and they will fail.?

In response, the media adviser to the former Vice President, Paul Ibe, criticised the APC, stating that if the party had performed well in governance, there would be no need for coalition talks to remove them.

Addressing the suggestion that Atiku?s unclear stance on the 2027 presidency and zoning was hindering coalition negotiations, Ibe told Sunday PUNCH that the leaders involved would prioritise what was best for the nation.

He also urged stakeholders and Nigerians not to rush the process.

Atiku?s media adviser said, ?It?s clear they (APC) don?t know what to do with the mandate given to them; instead, they are scheming for the future. Everything happening, from the declarations of state of emergency in Rivers State, to the destruction of the democratic space, stripping Nigeria of freedom and liberty, silencing people so that no one would have a voice. The emasculation of opposition parties is what they excel at?dividing Nigerians and creating instability.

?Prices are rising, and Nigerians can barely afford a meal. This situation makes you question the true agenda of the APC government. Is it to preside over the destruction, decimation, and obliteration of Nigeria? Is that why they sought power? They should focus on governance. If they had made something out of the mandate given to them, we wouldn?t be having this conversation.?

He explained that the main focus of all the leaders and stakeholders was to solidify the coalition.

?It?s not just about one individual; it?s a collective effort. I believe they are discussing what is best for them, so we shouldn?t preempt them. Let?s not put the cart before the horse. I believe the priority of all these leaders and stakeholders is how to firmly establish this coalition to have a robust one.

?The goal is to oust the All Progressives Congress (APC), and I believe that?s what?s most important to them right now, not what has been suggested so far,? he added. (Sunday PUNCH)

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