Politics
Opposition bloc backs Tinubu, declares rivals “directionless”
Published By
Paul Dada
Date
21st April, 2026
Quick Read
It argued that terrorism and banditry in Nigeria have “a great dosage of political underpinning” allegedly driven by “politicians desperate for power and external multinational interests hellbent on destroying Nigeria in order to steal its humongous natural resources”.
A coalition of opposition political actors and civil society organisations has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, declaring that Nigeria’s opposition “has lost direction” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The position was contained in a communiqué issued on 20 April 2026 after a one day strategic meeting in Abuja under the banner of the Pan Nigeria Civil Society Organisations and Opposition Alliance.
The group said its deliberations focused on “the current socio political landscape and the trajectory of our nation ahead of the forthcoming general elections”, adding that its conclusions were based on “exhaustive debate” and “data driven assessments of the current administration’s performance”.
On security, the coalition condemned what it described as “the resurgence of politically motivated violence in the country”, noting that such incidents “normally escalates when elections are approaching”.
It argued that terrorism and banditry in Nigeria have “a great dosage of political underpinning” allegedly driven by “politicians desperate for power and external multinational interests hellbent on destroying Nigeria in order to steal its humongous natural resources”.
“These are satanic enemies of Nigeria that must be eliminated at all costs,” the communiqué stated.
The forum urged citizens to play a more active role in supporting the military, saying “defeating terrorism and banditry cannot be left to the government or the military alone”.
It called on wealthy Nigerians to establish support systems for troops and their families, stressing that “Nigeria can and will defeat terror, but we must all play our own parts as citizens interested in the peace and progress of Nigeria”.
The coalition also delivered a scathing assessment of the opposition, insisting that while democracy requires a vibrant alternative voice, the current bloc is fragmented.
“It is unfortunate that the opposition in Nigeria is not organic in nature as many political parties are not members of the coalition to speak with one voice,” it said.
According to the group, “some political parties are doing their own things on different levels whilst the coalition is also doing its own thing”, a situation it said undermines credibility.
It further accused opposition figures of prioritising personal ambition over unity, noting “a pattern of self decimation by the ambitions of many presidential aspirants rather than pooling resources to support one popular and acceptable candidate”.
The communiqué warned that internal disputes were deepening, adding that “we have noticed increasing internal bickerings among the supporters of different presidential aspirants within the coalition”.
On zoning, the forum said the opposition’s failure to rotate its presidential ticket to the South was a “biggest error”, cautioning that it risks repeating the crisis that hit the Peoples Democratic Party in 2022.
“This has expressly opened the way for the incumbent administration to win seamlessly in 2027 in view of the formidable strategies and mass structural reach of their political networks,” it stated.
The coalition also criticised what it described as a lack of foresight among opposition leaders, saying they “failed woefully to preempt most of the crises bedevilling it currently”.
It listed “opposing individual ambitions, lack of foresight, lack of capacity for grassroots mass mobilisation, and the inability to communicate clear policy alternatives” as major weaknesses.
Despite acknowledging ongoing national challenges, the group said Nigerians may have little choice but to support the incumbent.
“While acknowledging that the country still faces serious challenges in the areas of security, economy, and ethnoreligious divisions, the forum states that Nigerians may have no choice than to return the incumbent in the face of a coalition that seems confused and unorganised,” it said.
The coalition added that it would formally unveil its preferred candidates at a forthcoming national convention involving over 500 organisations.
“In our consideration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our top focus now,” the communiqué declared.
The statement was signed by several civil society and political figures, including Comrade Mohammed Abdulrazaq Sanni, who served as facilitator.
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