Negotiation for 2027 coalition sailing on inherent uncertainties

The negotiations for the coalition of political parties to form a power forte against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections may have been sailing with inherent uncertainties the elite would need to tackle in order to align with populist ideals.

In an earlier report, National Daily Newspaper raised issues of ego and sacrifice, including the resolve for consensus building in the tussle for the 2027 presidential ticket of the coalition’s emergent party.

Loyalists of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a frontline negotiator in the coalition, had proposed Atiku/Obi joint presidential ticket in which Atiku would the presidential candidate and Obi, the vice presidential candidate.

The Obidients responded by insisting that any coalition that does not give Peter Obi the presidential ticket is dead on arrival, wowing that Obi cannot accept anything less than the presidential ticket, or the Obidients will abandon him.

Also, Yunusa Tanko, Interim National Coordinator, Obidient Movement, asserted, in a media interaction that, “Peter Obi has made it clear; he will not be in any coalition that doesn’t align with Nigerians.”

Tanko further declared: “When the time comes, he will choose a platform on which to contest; at this point, the discussions are based on the interests of the Nigerian people.”

Most Nigerians have articulated that “the Political consensus in 2027 favours Presidential candidates from the South to balance the North-South rotation.
“Not the most ideal but that it is our reality today. Atiku @atiku should assume the role of a statesman in 2027.”

Issues of electoral reforms, judicial reforms and independence of the INEC were exhumed as critical issues the coalition should address frontally for transparent election administration.

A stakeholder in the polity advocated that the Grand Coalition must push for:

1. Electoral Reforms.

2. Judiciary Reforms.

3. The Independence of INEC.

According to him, “We don’t need another Dino Melaye Moment. This is why a Coalition is so important. “INEC won’t trifle with such, things could implode.

“Therefore, the president must be stripped of the powers to appoint the Chair & RECs in INEC.
“He must be stripped of the powers to appoint the CJN.
“Electronic transmission must be written into the Constitution.
“The judiciary must be purged of rogue judges and SANs.

“You need more of “activist judges, those who can guarantee the “Right of Nigeria to Change.”
The stakeholder insisted that “the Coalition should endeavor to achieve some or all of these.”

Another stakeholder also aligned with the formation of a coalition to wrest power from the APC.
According to the stakeholder, “You need a Grand coalition for that to happen.

“INEC’s hand will have to be forced. There is no winning with the type of INEC and the judgments that gets delivered at your Apex court.”

Another stakeholder advocated tough coalition that would go all out for victory without regard to morality.

He declared: “That should be the structure of any Grand Coalition.
“Anything short is exercise in futility; a waste of everyone’s precious time. “