2027: Atiku, Obi, others urged to rally behind single opposition candidate

A group, Tinubu Must Go (TMG), has written to four leading opposition presidential candidates, urging them to unite behind a single candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In letters dated September 22, 2026, signed by its convener, Abba Hikima—a Kano-based human rights lawyer—the group appealed to Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), and Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM).
The letters, titled “Request for Dialogue Towards a United Opposition Front for the 2027 Presidential Election,” stressed that worsening insecurity, inflation, poverty, and youth unemployment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu make opposition unity imperative.
Citing SBM Intelligence’s report, The Capture of the Kidnap Economy (July 2025–June 2026), TMG noted that 7,825 people were abducted and 1,142 killed in 1,411 recorded kidnap incidents, with northern Nigeria accounting for over 93 percent of abductions. The group also pointed to historic inflation, rising energy costs, and a shrinking job market as evidence of governance failure.
TMG emphasized that its mission is coalition-building, not exclusion, insisting that “the broader national interest must prevail over individual political ambitions.” It urged opposition leaders to engage in good-faith dialogue and explore compromises capable of producing a single, credible presidential ticket.
The movement disclosed plans to hold an internal consultation with supporters on September 24, 2026, but noted that such deliberations would remain secondary to any consensus voluntarily reached by the candidates.
Hikima added that beyond the four letters already dispatched, more opposition candidates will be contacted in the coming days, with the ultimate goal of rallying Nigerians behind a united front to challenge the incumbent in 2027.