ABUJA – Amid growing political manoeuvres ahead of the 2027 presidential election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been urged to lead efforts to unify opposition parties to challenge the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The call was made by Salihu Lukman, a former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), in an open letter titled ‘Satanic Leadership and Nigeria’s Boiling Point’, released yesterday in Abuja.
Lukman warned that disunity within opposition parties would make it easier for President Tinubu to secure a second term. He called on Obasanjo and former leaders such as General Yakubu Gowon, General Ibrahim Babangida, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari to lead efforts to rally opposition parties.
He emphasised the moral obligation of these statesmen to guide opposition figures towards forming a functional political party capable of fostering credible leadership in Nigeria.
Highlighting defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Lukman expressed concern over a repeat of the 2023 election, where divisions within the opposition reportedly helped the APC secure victory.
The former APC National Vice Chairman stressed the need to put Nigeria on the path of sustainable development by ensuring the emergence of what he termed “Godly leaders.”
“It is not enough to lament about the fact of satanic leadership in the country,” Lukman said. “Unless past leaders assert their moral authority to lead the emergence of Godly leaders, it is as good as enabling President Tinubu’s second term and perpetuating failed leadership at all levels.”
He appealed to Obasanjo to declare support for unity among opposition parties and to correct mistakes that, he argued, have facilitated the emergence of substandard leaders.
Recalling the formation of the PDP in 1998, Lukman commended the collaborative efforts of patriotic Nigerians that resulted in Obasanjo’s presidency in 1999. However, he criticised Obasanjo for what he described as his role in institutionalising candidate imposition and electoral malpractices during his tenure.
He noted: “Ahead of the 2007 elections under your leadership, the practice of candidate imposition became a political norm in the PDP. This weakened democratic structures and paved the way for undemocratic practices.”
Lukman also referenced alleged electoral irregularities during Obasanjo’s administration, particularly under the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Professor Maurice Iwu. He claimed that results for the 2007 presidential election were announced before collation was concluded.
“I am not bringing this up to indict you,” Lukman clarified. “Rather, I hope these examples help you reflect on your own mistakes. Addressing the twin challenges of candidate imposition and electoral rigging is crucial if you are to play a meaningful role in producing credible leaders for Nigeria.”
Lukman concluded by urging Obasanjo and other former leaders to unite the opposition and prioritise the creation of a robust political platform for the 2027 elections.
Also, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, particularly the removal of petroleum subsidies and the floating of the naira, describing them as detrimental to Nigerians.
In a statement signed by his Executive Assistant on New Media, Felix Ofou, Oborevwori argued that the purported benefits of these policies had been eroded by naira devaluation and spiralling inflation. He alleged that Tinubu’s economic measures had triggered unprecedented hunger, poverty, and unemployment, turning Nigeria into the “poverty capital of the world.”
The governor was responding to remarks by former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, at a recent All Progressives Congress (APC) event. Omo-Agege had praised the economic policies of the Tinubu administration, attributing them to increased federal allocations, rising economic growth rates, declining imports, higher exports, and better incomes for farmers.
Omo-Agege also accused the Delta State government of failing to deliver meaningful development projects despite receiving over N900 billion in federal allocations over the past 18 months. He alleged that the funds had been mismanaged, with debts consuming the bulk of the revenue.
Oborevwori dismissed these claims, questioning the relevance of increased federal allocations amidst inflation and widespread economic hardship. He challenged Omo-Agege’s assertions, saying, “Can we really talk of increased money in any state in Nigeria? What is the worth of such money in the face of galloping inflation, gross devaluation of the naira, unparalleled hunger, mass poverty, mass unemployment, and the daily closure of major factories and multinationals in the country?”
The governor also cited reports by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), which, he claimed, confirmed the failure of Tinubu’s economic policies. “Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have rightly stated that Tinubu’s economic policies are not working. These policies have transformed Nigeria into the poverty capital of the world, with over 130 million people living below the poverty line,” he said.
Oborevwori further rejected Omo-Agege’s suggestion that Delta State emulate the APC’s economic model, describing it as one that worsens poverty and hardship.
“Is this the model that Omo-Agege is recommending for Delta to copy? A model that has unleashed economic hardship on the people? Why would anyone recommend APC’s T-pain as a remedy to our woes? Obviously, this is not a path desirable for Deltans,” the statement added.
The governor called for caution against adopting policies that exacerbate the suffering of Nigerians.
