Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, has said the presidential candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, lack the political structure needed to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Speaking at a public event in Kano on Monday, Ganduje argued that both opposition figures do not have the grassroots support or regional influence required to secure victory in Northern Nigeria, which he described as a decisive voting bloc in presidential elections.
“The North is strategic in every presidential election in Nigeria. With due respect to our friends in the opposition, neither Peter Obi nor Atiku Abubakar can mobilise enough support in this region to defeat President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.
The former Kano State governor maintained that President Tinubu remains well-positioned ahead of the next general election despite growing political activities and consultations among opposition parties.
Ganduje also expressed concern over the increasing number of political parties in the country, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tighten the requirements for party registration.
According to him, only parties with clear ideologies, functional structures and nationwide presence should be recognised by the electoral commission.
His comments come as political alignments and consultations continue across the country ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Neither Obi nor Atiku has responded to Ganduje’s remarks as of the time of filing this report.
