Politics
2027: Ganduje Reacts to Atiku Visit to Buhari Amid Coalition Talk
2027: Ganduje Reacts to Atiku Visit to Buhari Amid Coalition Talk
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
As Nigeria hurtles toward the 2027 general elections, political fireworks have already begun to explode across the landscape. One of the most riveting developments came when former Vice President and perennial presidential contender Alhaji Atiku Abubakar paid a high-profile visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura. The visit, cloaked in civility but loaded with political undertones, has sparked a national debate and provoked strong reactions — notably from the embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
To the untrained eye, the visit might seem like an innocuous gesture of statesmanship. But seasoned political observers know that in Nigeria’s murky political terrain, no handshake is ever just a handshake. It is a message. It is a signal. It is a strategic move.
Ganduje’s Defensive Rhetoric: A Crumbling Empire?
Dr. Ganduje, already struggling to hold together a fractured APC, dismissed the meeting as a “media stunt” and accused Atiku of playing games to revive his waning relevance. “Atiku is grasping at straws,” Ganduje said during a press briefing in Abuja. “The APC is not a refuge for failed PDP politicians looking for political asylum.”
This fiery response, however, betrays more than it conceals. Political insiders say Ganduje’s anxiety stems from the growing disillusionment within the APC and the rising popularity of coalition talks aimed at dislodging the party that has presided over Nigeria’s most turbulent democratic decade. The once-dominant APC is now battling factionalism, leadership instability, and widespread public disdain.
A Possible Coalition: The Night the Elephant Danced With the Lion
If reports are to be believed, Atiku’s visit was not merely ceremonial. Sources close to both camps suggest that discussions are underway to explore a “grand coalition” that could bring together influential political actors from both northern and southern Nigeria to unseat the APC in 2027. Buhari, known for his silence, has not disavowed the talks, fuelling speculation that even he, the supposed “father of APC,” is growing disenchanted with the party’s direction.
Political coalitions are not new in Nigerian history. In fact, the APC itself was born from a coalition of disillusioned politicians in 2013. However, what makes this possible Atiku-led coalition unique is its potential to merge ideological enemies into a common force against a greater evil — political stagnation and national decline.
Nigeria in Decline: The APC’s Legacy of Chaos
Since 2015, when the APC took power under Buhari, Nigeria has witnessed nothing short of a national collapse. The economy is in tatters, with inflation soaring above 33% and unemployment crossing 40% by the end of 2024. According to the World Bank, Nigeria has become the world’s poverty capital, overtaking India with over 71 million people living in extreme poverty.
“Corruption, insecurity, economic mismanagement — the APC has failed Nigerians on every front,” says Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, economist and former presidential candidate. “The social contract between the government and the people has completely broken down.”
This collapse is not an exaggeration; it is a documented reality. Under APC rule, Nigeria has witnessed the devaluation of its currency, mass emigration of youth through the “Japa syndrome,” and the near-total breakdown of law and order. From Boko Haram to banditry to IPOB agitations, the country is increasingly ungovernable.
Atiku’s Calculated Return: Statesman or Strategist?
Atiku’s critics accuse him of opportunism, but his supporters view him as a resilient statesman seeking to rescue a broken nation. “Atiku is Nigeria’s most consistent political figure of the Fourth Republic,” said Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, a political scientist with the Centre for Democracy and Development. “His visit to Buhari may be the beginning of a national healing process.”
Indeed, if a coalition is to succeed, it needs to be broad-based, multi-ethnic, and pragmatic. Atiku’s long-standing relationships across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones could be the glue that binds a new political force. His vision of restructuring, economic liberalism, and national unity resonates with many young Nigerians disillusioned by tribal politics and nepotism.
Ganduje’s Irony: A Man Without Moral Standing
Ganduje, who has repeatedly denied allegations of corruption despite viral videos allegedly showing him collecting bribes in dollars, is hardly the voice of moral authority. His continued leadership of the APC is viewed by many as a stain on the party’s image.
“Nigerians are tired of recycled corruption,” said Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. “The country needs a clean break from the past, not a recycling of those who have contributed to its downfall.”
Ganduje’s rejection of coalition talks, therefore, comes across as both hypocritical and desperate. His primary concern is not the party’s future or the country’s stability — it is the preservation of his dwindling influence.
A Coalition That Could Save Nigeria
A possible Atiku-led coalition could include the PDP, disgruntled APC members, Labour Party elements, and regional powerbrokers. If successful, it would mark a turning point in Nigeria’s political history — a united opposition front committed to real reforms.
The late Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” In Nigeria, many believed the APC’s defeat was impossible until 2015 proved otherwise. 2027 could once again be the year Nigerians rise against incompetence and reclaim their democracy.
To achieve this, the coalition must focus on a common minimum agenda: restructuring, economic revitalization, job creation, security reform, and judicial independence. It must also avoid the mistakes of the past — internal sabotage, regional bias, and political greed.
Voices from the Global Stage
Former U.S. President Barack Obama once remarked, “Africa doesn’t need strongmen; it needs strong institutions.” Nigeria has had enough of strongmen who use institutions as personal weapons. The time has come for an alliance that will rebuild institutions, restore confidence, and rejuvenate hope.
Renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs emphasized, “Good governance is the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development.” Nigeria’s tragedy is that it has been governed by those more interested in power than purpose. The 2027 coalition must reverse this pattern.
The Verdict of the People
Ultimately, it is not Ganduje, Atiku, or Buhari who will determine Nigeria’s fate in 2027 — it is the Nigerian people. And the people are watching, listening, and preparing. They have endured inflation, fuel scarcity, unemployment, and insecurity. Their anger is reaching boiling point.
As author Chinua Achebe wrote, “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” That failure must end. If a coalition offers even a glimmer of competent leadership, then history will remember Atiku’s visit to Buhari not as an act of desperation, but as the moment the winds of change began to blow.
Conclusion: A Nation at the Crossroads
Nigeria stands today on a knife’s edge. The old order is cracking, and a new vision must emerge. Ganduje’s hostility to coalition talks is a symptom of a frightened political class clinging to a failed status quo. But history is merciless to those who stand in the way of progress.
The 2027 elections could either be the beginning of national rebirth or the final nail in Nigeria’s democratic coffin. The choice is ours.
Just in: China Erases Nigeria:
A Diplomatic Earthquake or a Wake-Up Call?
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Introduction: A Shocking Move from Beijing
In a move that has stunned the international community, the People’s Republic of China has taken an audacious and provocative diplomatic step:
Removed Nigeria from its official land map
Deactivated Nigerian presence on Chinese apps like WeChat and Weibo
Shut down the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing
Recalled its ambassador from Abuja
These actions are not just a geopolitical insult, they are a direct challenge to the legitimacy of Nigeria as a sovereign state.
Beijing’s Provocation: “Nigeria Has Expired”
According to the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Nigeria was a colonial construct designed to exist for only 100 years, referencing the 1914 British amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates. Their chilling statement read:
“Nigeria’s continued existence has no historical or legal foundation. It is an expired project being manipulated by a corrupt elite.”
This unprecedented dismissal of a country’s legitimacy by a major power is deeply disturbing and diplomatically irresponsible.
Sovereignty Under Threat: A Dangerous Precedent
China’s actions violate several principles of international law, including:
The United Nations Charter (Article 2): Respect for the sovereignty of all member states
The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)
The African Union Constitutive Act (2000)
This move sends a dangerous message: that powerful nations can now erase weaker states based on selective historical interpretations.
Hypocrisy at Its Peak: China’s Double Standards
Beijing’s stance reeks of hypocrisy. China is itself a union of vastly different regions and ethnic groups:
Tibet and Xinjiang are held through military suppression.
Hong Kong is governed under the contentious “One Country, Two Systems.”
Taiwan, which China claims, is a fully functioning democratic entity.
How does a country that brutally suppresses secessionist sentiments now justify dismantling Nigeria for the same reasons it opposes in its own territories?
A Wake-Up Call for Nigeria’s Leadership
As painful as this is, Nigeria must reflect on why such an insult was possible in the first place. Over the last decade, the country has deteriorated in almost every global index:
Key Statistics (2015–2024):
Unemployment: Rose from 9.9% in 2015 to over 33.3% in 2023 (NBS)
Poverty: Over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty (NBS, 2022)
Exchange rate: Naira devalued from ₦199/$1 in 2015 to over ₦1,600/$1 in 2024
Minimum wage: ₦30,000 ($18 monthly equivalent), yet unpaid in over 20 states
Debt to China: Over $4 billion owed, much of it collateralized (DMO, 2023)
Terrorism: Boko Haram, banditry, and IPOB violence still unchecked
China’s declaration may be diplomatically outrageous, but it exposes a fundamental truth: Nigeria has failed to act as a nation-state.
Weaponized Economics: China’s Neo-Colonial Grip China’s economic involvement in Africa has long raised concerns about debt diplomacy and economic colonization. Nigeria, like many African states, fell into Beijing’s web:
Railway projects: Over $2.5 billion funded by Chinese banks
Airport terminals: Chinese-built and financed with opaque terms
Sovereignty clauses: Some loan agreements allegedly waive immunity over critical assets in disputes
If China halts funding or demands repayments, Nigeria’s fragile economy could face collapse.
African Solidarity Needed Now
The silence from African governments has been deafening. If Nigeria, the largest economy and most populous country in Africa, can be humiliated this way, then no African state is safe.
The African Union must:
Convene an emergency summit
Demand a full apology and diplomatic reversal from China
Consider sanctions or diplomatic retaliations if China persists
This is not just a Nigerian issue, it is an African existential crisis.
The Deafening Silence of the West
Western nations, typically vocal about human rights and sovereignty, have responded with vague platitudes. The UK—Nigeria’s former colonizer has said nothing meaningful. The US State Department simply urged “calm.”
This lack of global outcry reflects how far Nigeria has fallen in international relevance. A once-powerful voice in the Non-Aligned Movement, a key peacekeeping contributor, and regional stabilizer is now seen as a failed state.
The Identity Crisis: Who Is a Nigerian?
Beijing’s criticism touches a nerve: Nigeria’s identity crisis.
Over 250 ethnic groups
Three major religions with deep divisions.
Electoral politics driven by tribalism and zoning, not competence.
Secessionist agitations in the South East (IPOB), South West (Yoruba Nation), and Niger Delta
More than a century after amalgamation, there is still no unifying national vision. If China’s insult triggers a much-needed national debate, it could be a blessing in disguise.
From Humiliation to Rebirth
China’s erasure of Nigeria from its map and communication networks is outrageous, unlawful, and racist. But it is also a moment of reckoning.
*Nigeria must now:*
Reclaim its dignity through good governance
Rebuild national unity with a people-first constitution
Diversify its economy to reduce dependence on exploitative powers
Assert itself diplomatically as Africa’s true leader
This is not the end, it could be the beginning of Nigeria’s long-overdue transformation.
A Democracy in Shackles: How APC’s Tyranny Redefines Governance in Nigeria
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
In a move that reeks of insecurity and political cowardice, a prominent opposition figure was recently denied access to a Nigerian state governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was an act so ridiculous, so blatantly undemocratic, that it should outrage every Nigerian who still believes in the sanctity of our constitution. Yet in the twisted world of Nigerian politics under APC rule, such abuses of power are now routine, laughed off by party loyalists and excused by compromised institutions.
This incident, though outrageous, is nothing new. It is just the latest entry in the growing catalogue of authoritarianism that defines APC’s version of democracy. While it may serve as a grim masterclass for future administrations on how to stifle dissent and weaponize state power, it also marks a dangerous shift away from democratic norms and toward full-blown tyranny.
Constitutional Rights Under Siege
Section 41(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution is clear: “Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof.” Denying any Nigerian, let alone a public figure with national relevance, the right to enter any state is not only unconstitutional, it is criminal. When a government starts deciding who can and cannot enter parts of the country based on political affiliation, that government is no longer democratic. It is dictatorial.
It is important to remember that political opposition is not a crime. It is a necessary pillar of democracy. The APC’s action is not governance, it is an attempt to choke the very air democracy breathes.
A Pattern of Repression
This is far from an isolated event. Since the APC took power in 2015, Nigeria has witnessed an unprecedented erosion of democratic values. The government has systematically turned law enforcement agencies into tools of oppression. Peaceful protesters are arrested. Opposition campaigns are blocked. Media outlets are intimidated. And now, opposition leaders are being barred from entire states.
In 2018, the Department of State Services (DSS) infamously barricaded the National Assembly, attempting to forcefully change legislative leadership in broad daylight. That same year, the police under the command of the APC-led executive blocked Senate President Bukola Saraki’s convoy. These events were not just violations of individual rights, they were direct attacks on the democratic institution of checks and balances.
Freedom House, the globally respected democracy watchdog, classified Nigeria as “Partly Free” in its 2023 report, citing increased government intimidation of journalists, political opposition, and civil society. Transparency International has consistently ranked Nigeria poorly in corruption perception indices, highlighting the decay of both moral and institutional integrity under APC rule.
Weaponizing Security Forces
The selective use of security forces by APC governors and the presidency has become a dangerous norm. Instead of ensuring public safety and upholding the rule of law, police and military personnel are deployed to serve narrow political interests. During elections, they harass voters and opposition agents. During rallies, they intimidate citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
The recent blockade of an opposition figure’s convoy from entering a state controlled by the APC is yet another abuse in a long line of infractions. This is state-sponsored lawlessness masquerading as governance. What we are witnessing is not just the death of democracy, but it is the burial of accountability.
APC’s Hypocrisy and Double Standards
Perhaps the most galling aspect of this unfolding drama is APC’s shameless hypocrisy. When in opposition, APC politicians cried foul at the slightest provocation. They championed free speech, free movement, and fair elections. Yet now, in power, they have become the very monsters they once condemned.
APC accuses opposition parties of inciting unrest, but tolerates its own thugs terrorizing political opponents. It claims to uphold rule of law, yet governs through executive orders, illegal detentions, and manipulated court judgments. The irony is both tragic and revolting.
Even APC’s internal party structure is a caricature of democracy. Candidates are imposed, primaries are rigged, and dissent is criminalized. It is no wonder that a party so allergic to internal democracy would extend its tyranny to national governance.
A Dangerous Precedent
Let it be clear: what APC has done sets a precedent that should terrify every Nigerian. If one political party can deny access to a state today, what stops another from declaring entire regions as “off-limits” tomorrow? Today it’s an opposition figure; tomorrow it could be a journalist, a protester, a community leader, or even an ordinary citizen with a dissenting voice.
The implications are massive. It undermines national unity. It fosters regional tension. It invites violence. Most dangerously, it signals that political might, not the constitution, now governs Nigeria.
Compromised Institutions, Complicit Silence
Where are the institutions that should speak up? Where is the Nigerian Human Rights Commission? Where is INEC? Where is the National Assembly? Where are the religious leaders, the civil society organizations, the Nobel laureates and public intellectuals?
Their silence is deafening, and dangerous. In democratic societies, institutions are designed to act as guardrails against tyranny. But Nigeria’s have been captured, bullied, or bought. The judiciary, which should be the last line of defense, often bows to political pressure. The legislature acts like an extension of the executive, not a check on it.
When all arms of government fail to stand for justice, the collapse of democracy becomes not just possible, but inevitable.
Democracy Must Be Defended
What the APC is doing is not democracy. It is autocracy painted in green and white. And it must be rejected by all well-meaning Nigerians.
The people must rise, not with violence, but with voices, votes, and vigilance. Civil society must mobilize. The press must expose. International observers must take note. The coming elections must be more than a contest of ballots and they must be a referendum on tyranny.
The opposition must also rise above fear. They must confront the APC not just with outrage, but with strategy, solidarity, and strength. If the democratic space continues to shrink unchecked, Nigeria risks descending into the abyss of fascism.
In conclusion: Defining Our Democracy
If the APC insists on defining its own version of democracy; one built on exclusion, suppression, and brute force, then the Nigerian people must define a democracy that includes every voice, protects every right, and defends every citizen.
Let no one be deceived: this is not about a single state, a single politician, or a single party. It is about the soul of a nation. The battle for Nigeria’s democracy will not be won in silence or cynicism. It will be won by citizens who say enough is enough…who reject fear and demand freedom.
History will not be kind to the APC if it continues down this dark path. And neither will the people, who, when truly awakened, have the power to end any regime that forgets who truly holds sovereignty in a democracy: the people.
Sylvester is a distinguished political and prolific writer. He writes from Johannesburg
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