Onyekachi Eze 
Barely two years away from the next general election, there are strong indications that the much awaited coalition of opposition forces seeking to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun to take shape.
The defection of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) may have opened the floodgate for more disenchanted members of the ruling party to jump ship. Although the leadership of the APC has said there was no cause for alarm, there are feelers that the ruling party is becoming unsettled and has been doing everything possible to avoid a gale of defections.
In line with his pledge to lead the opposition against his former party, El-Rufai, has launched the first onslaught as he accused the APC- led administration of commercialising ministerial appointments.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service at the weekend, he alleged that ministerial appointments in President Bola Tinubu’s administration were secured through financial payments, adding that governance in Nigeria has become commercialised.
According to El-Rufai, the party had strayed from the core principles upon which it was formed and its members had become motivated mainly by financial gain rather than governance.
“The APC has derailed; the party is no longer abiding by its founding principles. Everyone is working for themselves, looking for money. The government is commercialized; everything has a price tag,” he said.
On the other front, there are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might wake up from its slumber to play the role of a leading opposition party. The former ruling party has suffered repeated losses since 2015 as it became incapacitated by a protracted leadership tussle.
Since its serial defeats in 2015, 2019 and 2023, the party has not been able to rediscover its winning streaks as entrenched personal interests seem to have overwhelmed the interest of the party.
However, Sunday Telegraph gathered about 15 members of its National Working Committee (NWC) of the party have declared that they would henceforth resist the forces holding the party down.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed has pledged to work with the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi to rescue Nigeria. Mohammed, a prominent member of the PDP made the declaration last Thursday when Obi visited him at the Government House in Bauchi. He said that though he and Obi were no members of the same party presently, there was need for like minds to work together to salvage the country.
“As a person, I am ready to work with Peter Obi and make sure we come together, close ranks, and bring good governance to the country. We will provide a vibrant opposition with knowledge, timeliness, and vision in a way that will help rescue and recover our country from the mediocre who are parading themselves as leaders. The time has come when we must step out and do things with fidelity, sincerity, and focus.
“Our coming together is a message, and I believe the message will resonate because all our colleagues, the Governors, are behind this kind of journey. It is a transcendental one, and I want to say that we are very grateful to Governor Obi for coming here.
“We will take it up and move it forward in a way that going forward, you will see more of these joint efforts between us, Governor Obi, the PDP Governors, and the PDP as a party,” he said
Although, the presidency dismissed El Rufai’s exit from the APC as non-issue, massive defection of other members of the party is giving the party cause for concern.
The defection was the culmination of months of agitations and complains by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) elements in the ruling party, that they were left out in the Tinubu government.
Few weeks ago, a sister publication reported that a former minister, who served in Muhammadu Buhari government, might leave the APC because they were not involved in Tinubu government.
A source told this newspaper, “70 per cent of CPC faction (in APC) are not happy, and they are going to leave with e-Rufai. Only (Tanko) Al-Makura and few others will be left, that is if they are not going leave later.
“Even among the ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) arm in most South West state, there are dissatisfaction. Take it from me, APC will implode very soon.”
The coalition among opposition parties against the ruling party is getting stronger.
The PDP, which is expected to lead the coalition, seemed to have found its footing. The sack of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, a protégé of Wike, from the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) is bolstering the party’s rebuilding process.
At the inauguration of caretaker committee for South-South zonal executive committee, Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, also a known loyalist of the FCT minister, described the South-South zonal congress in Calabar, Cross River State, which was attended by Wike, as a jamboree.
Said Damagum: “There was no election as far as this party is concerned, in the South-South (because) we still have a few weeks or a month or so to do zonal congresses.”
PDP sources said many party members were taken aback by Damagum’s statement, “and he even condemned PDP leaders praising the Federal Government.
“May be, it is because Wike attacked the NWC during his media chat.
Although, the Supreme Court had reserved judgement on the appeal filed by Anyanwu challenging his sack by the Court of Appeal, the source disclosed that the party has decided to stand by the new National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye.
“Even if the Supreme Court returns Anyanwu, we will still find a way out of it. Parties should be allowed to manage their affairs,” he added.
But a former minister of Works and an APC chieftain, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe said there was little chance of Tinubu losing in 2027.
“He said: If Atiku runs, it’s a walk over, Tinubu is too sophiticated to be defeated by anybody”
He expressed the hope that the PDP will lead the coalition against Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
“We believe opposition figures will work together, so as to defeat Tinubu and APC in 2027, and PDP is ready to be at the forefront,” he assured.
The source stated that given the growing opposition against Tinubu’s government in the North, there is pressure on former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to drop his presidential ambition and support a younger person.
Atiku was PDP candidate in 2019 and 2023. His ambition in 2027 is believed to have been creating crisis in the party.
According to him: “If Atiku doesn’t run and somebody from the North pairs with Peter Obi, it will be a tough battle for Tinubu and APC.
“We believe that only a formidable opposition can defeat Tinubu in 2027. But if opposition works at cross purposes, it will be an easy victory for the APC.”
Obi, who was Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023, held a closed door meeting with Bauchi State governor Senator Bala Mohammed last Thursday.
There were speculations that Obi is being lured to return to PDP. This newspaper could not confirm this at the time of filing this report.
