As Nigeria’s political atmosphere heats up ahead of the 2027 presidential election, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have reacted strongly to recent moves by key opposition leaders forming a new coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Prominent APC figures have described the alliance as a recycled elite plot that lacks grassroots structure one destined to fail like previous attempts in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Another Third Force That Will Fizzle Out – Oyintiloye

Reacting to the coalition, former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, stated that the move mirrors the failed “Third Force” political project that attempted to challenge President Buhari in 2019.

Speaking in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye told journalists that the new alliance is based more on personal ambition than the collective interest of Nigerians.

“This is another elite gathering with no ideology or connection to real voters. Like CUPP and others before it, it will fizzle out before the polls,” he said, according to Punch.

Idimogu: Tinubu Is Unshakable

Also weighing in, Lagos APC leader Sir Jude Idimogu said that Tinubu’s national appeal remains intact and unmatched. According to him, no coalition, however structured, can overpower Tinubu’s legacy and popularity among voters across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Speaking during an event in Ibadan, he described the elite alliance as a “jamboree” lacking structure and grassroots support.

“Tinubu is a movement. His support base isn’t on paper—it’s real and widespread,” he said, as reported by the National Accord.

Inside the Opposition Coalition Backed by ADC

The new coalition, reportedly backed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), includes key opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rabiu Kwankwaso. Former Senate President David Mark is said to be coordinating early talks within the bloc.

According to a report by AP News, the group is aiming to replicate the 2015 APC merger that dislodged the PDP. However, APC loyalists believe such ambition lacks the strategic harmony that drove the 2015 success.

Additionally, former APC Northwest Vice Chairman, Dr. Lukman Salihu Mohammed, has reportedly been appointed to lead the coalition’s secretariat a move seen as a direct challenge to his former party, according to Vanguard.

Coalition May Lack the Voter Connection

While the opposition coalition may look impressive on paper, APC leaders maintain that voter trust and grassroots machinery are what win elections in Nigeria not elite alliances.

“Nigerians are tired of recycled coalitions. They want leadership that understands their reality, and that’s what Tinubu continues to represent,” Oyintiloye reiterated.

As 2027 approaches, the political chessboard is shifting rapidly—but for APC insiders, the belief remains strong: President Tinubu is still the man to beat.