Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential campaign, has cited the past political relationships between President Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as he made a case for the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Okonkwo claimed that both Tinubu and Obi had previously supported Atiku’s presidential ambitions, arguing that their past political positions should be considered in the current debate over who should lead Nigeria in 2027.
According to Okonkwo, “Tinubu endorsed Atiku to be president in 2007, while Peter Obi endorsed Atiku in 2019.” The statement was made while discussing the emerging political alignment around Atiku and the ADC ahead of the next presidential election.
The comments are significant as opposition politicians attempt to build a broader coalition capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. Atiku, Tinubu and Obi have all played prominent roles in Nigeria’s recent presidential contests, making their past alliances a subject of renewed political discussion.
Okonkwo also questioned why individuals who had previously supported Atiku would now be seeking the presidency themselves, suggesting that the current political landscape should be viewed in the context of previous alliances.
Tinubu contested the 2007 presidential election under the Action Congress, while Atiku was the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in that election. Obi, who later became the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023, was Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election.
The 2027 contest is already generating political realignments, with opposition figures exploring possible alliances and coalition arrangements. Okonkwo left the Labour Party in 2025 and subsequently became associated with the ADC’s opposition coalition.
As political parties prepare for the election, the history of alliances among Nigeria’s leading political figures is likely to remain part of the campaign narrative. The emerging contest is expected to focus heavily on economic performance, governance, national unity and the ability of opposition parties to present a united alternative to the APC.
