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A coalition of opposition stakeholders, political organisations, and civil society groups has launched what it described as Nigeria’s foremost political freedom project since independence, calling on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to back former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as the only realistic path to defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential elections.

The movement, operating under the banner of the Save Democracy Mega Alliance (SDMA), ADC Coalition Stakeholders, and Civil Societies Alliance, announced the initiative codenamed Atiku Givus Obi 2027 (AGOBI ’27) at the end of a four-day consultation and consensus-building meeting in Abuja.

In a communiqué jointly signed by Prince Tony Akeni of SDMA, Mallam Khalil Ahmed Rufai of the Upright Nigeria Foundation (UNF), Primate Henry Amike of the South-West Steering Committee, High Chief Peter O. Ameh, National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), ACG Ali Wakili (Rtd) of NC-Front, Hon. Charles Darlington of Good Citizens for Peace & Progress Initiative (GCPPI), Dcn. Comrade Abbas Alao of Nigeria Cannot Continue Like This (NCC-LIT), Chief Oloye A. Adeniji of the National Rescue Congress (NRC), Prince Chuka R. Nnorom of the South-East Steering Committee, and Barr. Esmerald Bright-Bazunu of the Legal Committee, the coalition warned that failure to unite the opposition under one ticket would guarantee another APC victory “through rigged federal machineries and institutions.”

They declared that the 2027 polls represent an opportunity for Nigeria’s 230 million citizens to end what it called “ruthless, rudderless and remorseless misrule” by the ruling APC. It urged opposition leaders to make “the right decisions” in order to rescue the country, cautioning that a wrong step would have “dire consequences in countless ways.”

The coalition praised both Atiku and Obi as “eminently qualified” to lead the country but said its intelligence reports and a year-long study revealed that APC has already entrenched “practically insurmountable obstacles” that neither man could overcome if they run separately. It alleged that the ruling party had developed a three-pronged reelection strategy, which it linked to “21 barricades,” highlighting three as examples.

The first, it claimed, is the proposed abolition of physical Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and their replacement with computer-generated voter slips. The coalition described this as “a masterstroke of electoral fraud ingenuity” intended to eliminate biometric verification on election day and instead fabricate “phantom data” to secure inflated results in targeted states. It compared this to alleged registration anomalies witnessed in Osun State.

The second, according to the communiqué, would involve a nationwide armed lockdown on election day, effectively turning the process into “a state of civil war.” It warned that electoral result centres would be militarised to deny opposition agents, reporters, observers, and independent monitors access.

The third, termed a “Nation’s Betrayal Triangle,” was said to involve the police, military, and judiciary. The coalition accused the government of deploying trillions of naira in off-record spending to secure loyalty across these institutions, pointing to a luxury housing project for judges in Abuja’s Katampe District as an inducement meant to sway judicial decisions in post-election disputes.

The group issued a direct appeal to Atiku, warning that Nigeria’s political dynamics in 2027 disfavour another northern candidate. It argued that “more than 90 per cent of Nigerians in the three southern zones and the Middle Belt have resolved that rather than back another Hausa-Fulani candidate, they would prefer Tinubu for a second term.”

In its plea, the coalition urged Atiku to “magnanimously step into the shoes of a statesman” and rally behind Obi, stressing that if the situation were reversed, Obi would be called upon to do the same for him. “While Tinubu could easily defeat both Atiku and Obi contesting separately, a hundred Tinubus with a hundred-fold of all the structures at his command cannot return to office in 2027 if Atiku gives Obi a Vice Presidential choice and stands behind him,” the statement insisted.

The alliance pressed Atiku to reflect on the legacy he wished to leave: “Which of these, Sir, do you wish to be remembered for? The man who sacrificed his ambition to liberate Nigeria or who sacrificed Nigeria for his ambition yet never got it? Time will tell and retell the AGOBI story, and this question will be asked again at your final resting place and many years after.”

To reinforce its moral appeal, the coalition quoted from the Qur’an, urging Atiku to uphold justice even against personal interest: “Act justly, that is nearer to god-fearing… Persistently standing firm in justice, even if it be against yourself.” (Qur’an 5:8, Surah An-Nisa 4:135).

Looking ahead, the AGOBI ’27 campaign announced plans to launch both local and international mobilisation efforts to rally Nigerians toward a united opposition front. It warned that without such unity, Tinubu’s APC would “ride unchallenged into another four years of power.”

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