2027 Power Showdown: Atiku, Amaechi, El-Rufai Vow to Oust Tinubu
In what may signal the beginning of a fierce political battle ahead of 2027, three heavyweight opposition figures former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi — have declared war against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, vowing to unseat him over what they described as a regime of deepening poverty, insecurity, and national decay.
The trio made their fiery remarks during a public lecture themed “Weaponisation of Poverty as a Means of Underdevelopment: A Case Study of Nigeria,” held to commemorate Amaechi’s 60th birthday in Abuja over the weekend.
“We’ll Chase Him Out of Power” Atiku
Atiku, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, did not mince words.
“You may call me a conspirator,” he said bluntly. “But this alliance is born out of the need to stop a government that is deliberately weaponising poverty to control and suppress its people.”
The former vice president accused the Tinubu-led government of turning hunger into a political weapon, recounting how homelessness and destitution have overtaken once-prosperous cities like Kano.
“When I was posted to Kano as a young man, no one lived under bridges. Today, I saw people sleeping everywhere. The government is not solving poverty it’s managing it for control.”
Amaechi: “We’re All Hungry”
Former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, didn’t hold back either.
“We are all hungry. If you’re not, I am. Hunger doesn’t know tribe or religion.”
Amaechi challenged the opposition to rise above personal ambition and unite with a singular goal: rescuing Nigeria.
“If we in the opposition are serious, we can remove this man from power. But we must first put the interest of Nigeria above our own.”
He blasted the ruling elite for manipulating voters through ethnicity and religion.
“We don’t elect based on competence. We elect based on who looks or worships like us. That’s why we are stuck.”
He also expressed shame over the global perception of Nigeria, revealing he was recently detained in Germany simply for carrying a Nigerian passport.
El-Rufai: Nigeria Has Lost Its Way
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, delivered what may be the most damning verdict yet.
“This is the worst state Nigeria has been in since 1914,” he said, calling for an urgent coalition to take back the country from what he termed “urban bandits.”
“These are not bandits in the bush, but those in power people who have no clue what to do once they seize office.”
El-Rufai warned that only leaders with “competence, capability, and commitment” could reverse Nigeria’s downward spiral.
Soyinka Backs Amaechi’s Defiance
In a rare political outing, Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka also attended the event and commended Amaechi’s refusal to step down for Tinubu during the 2022 APC primaries.
“It gave me mischievous pleasure to see the incumbent president being given a taste of his own medicine. That’s democracy,” Soyinka quipped.
He likened Amaechi’s defiance to Tinubu’s own famous refusal to bow to Obasanjo years ago.
Sanusi: Nigeria’s Elite Are Out of Touch
Also present, Emir of Kano and former CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi decried the widening disconnect between the elite and the masses.
“As a CBN governor, I saw poverty in data. As an Emir, I saw it in flesh. We’re building flyovers in cities while villages drink dirty water and die in abandoned schools.”
He questioned whether Nigeria’s ruling class genuinely cares for the people or simply enjoys ruling over their suffering.
“Shine Your Eyes,” Dickson Warns Opposition
In a cautionary tone, Senator and former Bayelsa Governor Seriake Dickson warned the opposition against repeating the mistakes of 2015.
“You all know how to conspire and build coalitions. But this time, shine your eyes. Don’t be pawns in someone else’s game again.”
He reminded them that Nigerians are still suffering despite their 2015 victory over the PDP-led government.
APC Fires Back: “They’re Just Bitter”
Responding to the onslaught, the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the opposition’s comments as nothing more than political sour grapes.
“They’re angry, not objective,” said Bala Ibrahim, APC’s National Director of Publicity. “They’re bitter because they lost.”
Ibrahim insisted that President Tinubu remains focused on reforming the country and driving long-term growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Yes, change is painful. But Nigeria will come out stronger.”
Efforts to reach senior aides in the Presidency for official comments were unsuccessful, as calls to Bayo Onanuga and Daniel Bwala went unanswered.
2027: Battle Lines Drawn
As Nigeria inches closer to 2027, the rhetoric is heating up and so are the stakes. With poverty, insecurity, and hunger dominating the national conversation, voters may be in for the fiercest political showdown in the country’s recent history.
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2027 Power Showdown: Atiku, Amaechi, El-Rufai Vow to Oust Tinubu