2027 Alliance: Tinubu’s Camp Dismisses Obi, Atiku, Duke Coalition As “Exercise In Futility

The Renewed Hope Project 2027 has dismissed efforts by opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, to form a political alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The pro-Tinubu group described the proposed coalition as an “exercise in futility,” insisting it would not threaten President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects.

The position was made known on Monday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Project 2027, held under the theme “A New Beginning, A Shared Vision, With Greater Nigeria.”

The event attracted party leaders, political appointees, members of the National Assembly, representatives of serving governors, as well as grassroots coordinators and mobilisers from across the country.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who serves as the project’s Grand Patron, said the initiative was established to mobilise nationwide support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

Represented by his Senior Special Assistant (Technical), Babatunde Bernard, Akume said the group would engage Nigerians at the grassroots by presenting what it described as verifiable evidence of the administration’s achievements.

He argued that the Tinubu administration was tackling long-standing structural challenges through reforms such as local government autonomy and digital governance initiatives aimed at improving public service delivery.

The SGF also cited growing foreign investor interest as an indication that Nigeria was becoming increasingly attractive for foreign direct investment.

According to him, the administration has restored “renewed hope” to Nigerians, adding that meaningful national development often requires difficult decisions and short-term sacrifices.

“Exercise in Futility”

Speaking on the proposed opposition alliance, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Renewed Hope Project 2027, Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibril (retd.), dismissed the coalition as politically inconsequential.

“All put together is an exercise in futility. We have seen them before; they have done nothing, and they are not going to do anything again. So, we are not perturbed at all. We don’t care about what they do,” he said.

Jibril maintained that Nigerians would judge President Tinubu based on the administration’s performance rather than political realignments among opposition figures. He challenged critics to identify any previous administration that had delivered results comparable to those of the current government.

“If anybody has done anything similar or above what we have done in this administration, let him come forward with it. It is not an issue of argument or just talk. It is a question of what people can see on the ground,” he said.

The retired general also rejected comparisons between the current political climate and the circumstances that led to the All Progressives Congress (APC) defeating President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election.

He argued that the factors that shaped the 2015 outcome were unique and should not be used to predict the 2027 contest.

“Of course, people have the right to talk about rhetoric, but talking about reality and what is on the ground, we can’t compare what happened in 2015 and now,” he said.

Jibril further dismissed claims that dissatisfaction in northern Nigeria could weaken Tinubu’s re-election chances, describing such assertions as opinions that did not reflect realities across the region.

He said several government policies had benefited northern communities, particularly in education, infrastructure, technology transfer and skills development.

Citing the federal student loan programme, Jibril argued that the initiative had expanded access to higher education for students from low-income families, especially in northern Nigeria. 

"The poorest people in this country, with due respect, you can say maybe due to our large population, come from the northern part of the country. Who are the direct beneficiaries of the loan scheme? Those who cannot afford to send their children to school,” he added.