Former National Vice Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-West, Salihu Lukman, has called for unity among opposition parties and neglected APC supporters against President Bola Tinubu’s electoral bid in 2027.

In a statement he signed, Lukman urged the 2023 presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso; Labour Party, Peter Obi; as well as Nasir El-Rufai and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to come together to defeat Tinubu in the next election.

Lukman noted that Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso, Osinbajo, and others have been operating in isolation from each other.

He described Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi, Ibikunle Amosun, El-Rufai, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as political orphans, claiming they have been excluded from the government’s affairs despite their support.

He said: “Political leaders in Nigeria, notably Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and others, must answer the question as to whether they want to allow their narrow political ambitions to continue blocking the path to the democratic development of Nigeria.

“Or, why shouldn’t they aspire to register their names as political leaders who were able to rise to the occasion in Nigeria’s hour of national need by coming together to forge a united political front, which could transform Nigeria’s democracy and reverse the phenomenon of ‘state capture’ that produced ‘small corrupt groups’ of used ‘government officials’ who are appropriating ‘government decision-making to strengthen their own economic positions’?

“Although there are some indicative political activities taking place around some of these political leaders, it has not graduated to the level of commitment to build the kind of strong political parties capable of threatening the APC and President Asiwaju Tinubu, which is needed to guarantee the future of Nigerian democracy.

“What were the failings of the PDP? The failings of the PDP are reflected in the same way today’s challenges are manifesting. If the truth is to be told, whatever were the failings of the PDP in 2015, they were less grievous than what it has become under the APC in 2024.”