Former lawmaker and political analyst, Senator Shehu Sani, has cautioned that the persistent disunity among Nigeria’s opposition parties is inadvertently strengthening President Bola Tinubu’s chances of winning re-election in 2027.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, May 8, 2025, Sani stressed that only a united opposition bloc can effectively challenge the dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general election.
“There is no way you can evict a ruling party without a coalition,” he said. “Unity is essential. The opposition must rise above personal ambitions and come together for the sake of the country.”
Sani noted that despite repeated calls for collaboration, parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) continue to operate in silos, with no concrete plans to form a united front.
Reflecting on the 2023 elections, he observed that the opposition’s failure to unite was a key factor in President Tinubu’s victory. He warned that history could repeat itself if the current fragmentation continues unchecked.
He also criticized the lack of ideological differentiation among Nigerian political parties, stating that many politicians treat parties as mere platforms for personal ambition rather than as institutions grounded in principle.
“Parties don’t stand for ideology. They are mostly similar, with only names and slogans distinguishing them,” he said.
Sani rejected the idea that it’s President Tinubu’s responsibility to maintain cohesion in opposition parties, saying the opposition must do the hard work of fixing internal crises and holding their structures together.
He predicted more defections to the APC in the coming months, especially from parties struggling with leadership disputes and unclear structures.
“If you have a party where there are two national secretaries or parallel factions holding separate primaries, it creates chaos. Aspirants won’t even know who to follow,” he noted.
Concluding, Sani warned that unless the opposition reforms and unites, Nigeria risks slipping into a de facto one-party state—not by constitutional design, but by default.
