2027: Atiku, Obi, Duke alliance an exercise in futility — Tinubu’s men
…We’ll campaign with facts, not rhetoric — SGF
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA — Supporters of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid under the aegis of the Renewed Hope Project 2027 have dismissed moves by opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, to forge an alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The group described the proposed opposition coalition as an “exercise in futility”, insisting that the performance of the Tinubu administration would determine the outcome of the election.
The group spoke on Monday in Abuja during the inauguration and unveiling of the Renewed Hope Project 2027, held under the theme, “A New Beginning, A Shared Vision, With Greater Nigeria.”
The event was attended by party leaders, political appointees, members of the National Assembly, representatives of serving governors, as well as grassroots coordinators and mobilisers from across the country.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who is Grand Patron of the group, said the initiative was aimed at mobilising support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.
Akume, represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Technical, Prof. Babatunde Bernard, said the group would present what he described as verifiable facts about the administration’s performance while mobilising support at the grassroots.
He said the administration was addressing some of the country’s structural challenges, citing local government autonomy and digital reforms as examples of measures aimed at strengthening governance and improving service delivery.
The SGF also pointed to what he described as growing interest from foreign investors as evidence that Nigeria was becoming more attractive for foreign direct investment.
He said the administration had given Nigerians “renewed hope”, arguing that meaningful national development often required difficult decisions and sacrifices.
Speaking on the proposed opposition alliance, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibril (retd.), dismissed the move as an “exercise in futility”.
Jibril said the combination of opposition politicians would not undermine Tinubu’s chances in 2027, arguing that Nigerians would ultimately assess the administration based on its record.
“All put together is an exercise in futility. We have seen them before; they have done nothing and they are not going to do anything again. So, we are not perturbed at all. We don’t care about what they do,” he said.
He challenged the opposition to identify an administration that had achieved comparable results to those of the Tinubu government.
“If anybody has done anything similar or above what we have done in this administration, let him come forward with it. It is not an issue of argument or just talk. It is a question of what people can see on the ground,” he said.
Jibril also rejected comparisons between the current political environment and the circumstances that preceded the APC’s victory over the Goodluck Jonathan administration in the 2015 presidential election.
He argued that the outcome of the 2015 election was influenced by perceptions about the performance of the government at the time and could not automatically be applied to the present administration.
“Of course, people have the right to talk about rhetoric, but talking about reality and what is on the ground, we can’t compare what happened in 2015 and now,” he said.
Jibril also dismissed claims that dissatisfaction in northern Nigeria could undermine Tinubu’s re-election prospects, describing such assertions as opinions that did not reflect the situation on the ground.
He said some policies of the administration had benefited Nigerians in the North, particularly in education, infrastructure, technology transfer and skills acquisition.
He cited the student loan scheme as one of the initiatives capable of expanding access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“The poorest people in this country, with due respect, you can say maybe due to our large population, come from the northern part of the country. Who are the direct beneficiaries of the loan scheme? Those who cannot afford their children to go to school,” he said.
The retired military officer also highlighted technology transfer initiatives and skills acquisition centres established under the administration, saying they provided opportunities for young Nigerians.
He maintained that the North had “a lot to thank this government for” and pledged that the group would take its message directly to communities ahead of the election.
“We are ready and willing to take it to the grassroots and advertise our government, sell them because of what they have achieved,” he said.
Jibril listed what he described as key achievements of the administration, including increased funding and equipment for security agencies, efforts to tackle banditry and kidnapping, and the Safe School Initiative.
He also cited the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative, student loans, the N75 billion SME intervention fund, recruitment into security agencies, the National Apprenticeship and Technical Education Programme (NATEP), social investment programmes and youth grants.
According to him, the removal of the fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms had improved government revenue, while infrastructure projects, including roads and bridges, were creating opportunities for economic expansion.
Director-General of the Renewed Hope Project 2027, Malam Dauda Salihu, said the organisation would take the administration’s policies and programmes to Nigerians at the grassroots.
Salihu said the project would focus on communicating the government’s programmes directly to voters and encouraging citizens to assess the administration based on its record.
He said the campaign would go beyond political rhetoric by engaging communities and explaining what the organisation described as the practical impact of government programmes on citizens.
The Renewed Hope Project 2027 said it was prepared to counter the opposition narrative as political consultations intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The development comes amid moves by opposition politicians to build a broad coalition to challenge the APC at the polls, setting the stage for an increasingly competitive contest over governance, economic reforms, security and social programmes.
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