Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has thrown cold ater on the prospect of a political alliance between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Keyamo dismissed the idea of an Atiku-Obi joint ticket under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claiming such a move would fail to sway voters due to what he described as a “collapsed demographic advantage.”
“They are going nowhere in terms of demography,” Keyamo said. “I like what is happening; they are putting us on our toes — it will make us work harder — but the numbers are not looking good for them.”
According to him, the coalition plan — reportedly designed to combine both candidates’ political bases to challenge the APC’s over eight million votes — is built on shaky foundations. Keyamo argued that Obi’s strong performance in the 2023 election was powered by three specific demographic forces, all of which, he claimed, would not hold in 2027, especially if Obi plays second fiddle to Atiku.
“The other candidates in 2023 were Muslims, so there was only one Christian candidate. The Christians went to one point,” he explained. “The South-East felt cheated, so they also went to one point because of the Igbo man. The third demography — the Obidients, the angry young Nigerians who wanted a younger person — all that collapses if Obi is not the main candidate.”
He further stressed that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) still maintain strong political roots across northern Nigeria.
“If you put Peter Obi this time as president, he cannot penetrate the North. We have our structures in the North — governors, political machinery, everything,” Keyamo added.
While speculation continues to swirl around a possible grand opposition alliance for 2027, Keyamo’s comments underline the APC’s confidence in retaining its dominance — especially with the demographic tide, he insists, no longer favoring the opposition.
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