Northern Political Leaders Back Atiku-Led Coalition Ahead of 2027
A group of northern political heavyweights may have thrown their support behind a proposed national coalition movement, expected to be spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as part of early moves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sources told The Nation that the decision was reached during a closed-door meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North-NPCG) held in Abuja on Sunday. The session, described as non-partisan, brought together an array of prominent political figures.
Among those in attendance were Atiku, Peter Obi, Datti Baba-Ahmed, former Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, former SGF Babachir Lawal, former Solid Minerals Minister Abu Bwari, ex-APC National Vice Chairman (North-West) Salihu Lukman, and others.
Also present were Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State governor; Adolphus Wabara, PDP BoT Chairman; and former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, who reportedly joined the meeting virtually after hosting Atiku in Ilesa over the weekend.
Though participants declined to speak publicly after the four-hour meeting, insiders revealed that discussions focused on forming a broad-based coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027. The meeting also reviewed the North’s political posture and explored building alliances with “like-minded” southern leaders.
“Today’s meeting was essentially to review the North’s position ahead of 2027 and extend outreach to potential southern allies,” a source said.
“A formal statement on the outcome will be issued later today.”
Obi Urges North to Prioritize Competence in 2027
Following the meeting, Peter Obi, in a statement issued by the Obi Media Outreach, called on the North to shift from voting along ethnic and religious lines and instead support candidates with competence and capacity in 2027.
He described the North as a “future and major asset” to Nigeria and emphasized that poverty and poor governance are the root causes of insecurity in the region. Obi also stressed the importance of investing in education and learning from agriculturally successful nations like Bangladesh and the Netherlands, noting that the North holds even greater potential.
“What the North needs is good governance, strong policy, and implementation—not just rhetoric,” Obi added.
Former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami also reportedly decried the deteriorating security situation in the North and called for a unified platform to address these challenges.
