Betrayal of the Brave: How Atiku and the Opposition Squandered Nigeria’s Best Hope

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Sahara Weekly Nigeria

In the political theatre of Nigeria, money often dictates the tempo. It has become a nation where competence is sidelined, loyalty is mocked and those without deep pockets those who cannot be labelled ‘money bags’ are cast aside like political orphans. Nowhere has this arrogance of wealth-based politics been more evident than in the disastrous handling of the 2023 elections by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Atiku Abubakar’s leadership.

I have always believed that in a truly democratic society, those who stand on principle, not profit, deserve a seat at the table. But in Atiku’s PDP, merit was crushed under the weight of ambition, internal betrayal and unchecked ego. The party, once seen as the custodian of national unity, threw away its best chance to reclaim relevance when it arrogantly turned its back on the G-5 Governors, the last vestige of integrity and strategic strength within its rank.

Today, Nigeria is stuck with a recycled presidency, while the opposition is licking self-inflicted wounds. And it didn’t have to be this way.

The Tragedy of Political Myopia
Let’s not mince words: PDP and Labour Party lost the 2023 presidential election long before ballots were cast. They lost it the moment they sacrificed political wisdom for narrow ambition. The G-5 Governors; Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Seyi Makinde stood as a formidable block that could have altered Nigeria’s electoral map. These were not disgruntled men; they were governors with proven electoral machinery, influence and regional balance.

But Atiku Abubakar, obsessed with returning to power after four failed attempts, saw them not as allies, but as obstacles to his ambition. He refused to meet their single, reasonable demand: that the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, step down in line with the party’s zoning principle. With the party’s presidential candidate and chairman both from the North, the South was justifiably outraged. The G-5 called for balance and equity. Atiku responded with indifference.

As Wike thundered in 2022: “You cannot have the presidential candidate and national chairman from the same region. Where is the justice? Where is the fairness? This party belongs to all of us.”

His concerns were ignored. The consequences were devastating.

A Fragmented Front, A Failed Mission
In the 2023 election, PDP failed to win any of the G-5-controlled states convincingly. In fact, many of them went to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or saw strong showings by the Labour Party. Rivers, a traditional PDP stronghold, swung in favour of Bola Tinubu after Wike’s subtle endorsement. Makinde, in Oyo, resisted the Atiku tide. Benue, Enugu and Abia offered lukewarm support at best.

Atiku, who paraded himself as a national unifier, ironically presided over the most divided opposition coalition in recent Nigerian history. His insistence on centralizing power, his refusal to negotiate with his party’s powerbrokers and his dismissive attitude towards the Southern bloc ensured one thing: defeat.

And it wasn’t just PDP that failed.

Labour Party’s Strategic Blindness
While the PDP was burning bridges, the Labour Party missed an opportunity to build them. Peter Obi inspired a movement, yes but his campaign failed to embrace realpolitik. He could have engaged the G-5 Governors, formed strategic alliances and turned their PDP discontent into a national coalition for change. Instead, the LP ran a messianic, solo campaign that underestimated the importance of political structure.

Political commentator Jide Ojo noted in The Guardian: “Obi had the moral momentum, but he lacked institutional support. In Nigeria, no amount of popularity can replace structure, alliances and statewide networks.”

The LP dismissed the old order but forgot that winning elections in Nigeria still depends on who controls polling units, local governments and election-day logistics. The G-5 had that power. But no meaningful bridge was built.

A Nation Betrayed by Its Leaders
The bigger tragedy is that Nigeria is now saddled with an administration it barely voted for. Bola Tinubu won with just 36.6% of the total vote, the lowest in Nigeria’s history. That means nearly two-thirds of voters rejected him. But because the opposition was fractured, the majority voice was wasted.

This was not a triumph of strategy; it was a triumph of opposition failure.

The PDP could have formed a united front, with a Southern candidate and a Northern vice-presidential balance. The LP could have merged platforms, given Obi the grassroots engine he desperately needed. The G-5 could have anchored both with credibility and regional leverage. But ego, not patriotism, led the charge.

Atiku, who sees himself as Nigeria’s Mandela, betrayed the very principles that Mandela lived by; humility, reconciliation and inclusion. Mandela once said: “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.” Atiku, unfortunately, was not ready to sacrifice anything not even an ill-advised power configuration for party unity or national interest.

Political Godfatherism and the Marginalization of Merit
It is an open secret that Nigeria’s political class thrives on godfatherism. Merit, vision and sincerity are often sacrificed at the altar of loyalty and money. Those who cannot “mobilize funds” are sidelined. Those who speak truth are branded rebels. The G-5 Governors, particularly Wike and Ortom, were victims of this toxic system.

Ortom, who repeatedly called out Buhari’s handling of Fulani herdsmen attacks, was labeled controversial. Wike, who financed the party during its opposition years, was treated as expendable. These were not angels, but they were patriots in their own right, bold enough to speak and act when others trembled.

2027: Another Miscalculation?
As we look to 2027, the signs are already troubling. Atiku is reportedly interested in running again. If he is allowed to hijack the PDP once more, expect another round of defections, internal crises and disunity. The “money bags” may again dominate, while the voices of equity, inclusion and regional justice are suppressed.

If the opposition does not learn from 2023, it will lose again and this time, the consequences could be permanent.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama once warned: “You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results. That’s insanity.”

If Atiku returns as PDP’s candidate, if the G-5 are not reintegrated, if LP fails to build real alliances, then Nigerians might as well prepare for an APC victory in 2027.

Final Thought: Restore the Soul of the Opposition
The future of democracy in Nigeria depends not just on removing bad governance, but on building a credible opposition. That opposition must include everyone; wealthy and poor, old and young, Northern and Southern leaders. The marginalization of those without deep pockets must end. The betrayal of loyal party members must stop. And the arrogance of Atiku-style imposition must be condemned.

PDP and Labour Party have lost their way, but all hope is not lost. Reconciliation is still possible. Unity is still achievable. But it will take courage, humility and a willingness to listen to those who stood firm when others fled.

Until then, the G-5 governors will remain a symbol not of rebellion, but of what Nigeria’s opposition could have been: principled, united and victorious.