2027 Power Shift: Northern, Southern Political Leaders Forge Alliance Against Tinubu

A quiet but significant political storm may be brewing ahead of the 2027 general elections, as key political leaders from the North and South met in Abuja on Sunday to discuss the worsening state of the country—and how to respond at the ballot box.

The closed-door meeting, held under the umbrella of the National Political Consultative Group (North), brought together an unusual mix of political figures. Though described as non-partisan, the meeting had all the trappings of an emerging coalition determined to present a serious challenge to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term.

Present at the meeting were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate; former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami; and a host of political heavyweights from the North. Virtually, the meeting also had strong Southern voices: Peter Obi, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Adolphus Wabara, and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

Sources at the meeting said the discussions were frank and focused on the deepening poverty, insecurity, and economic hardship across the country—issues most speakers agreed were hitting Northern Nigeria the hardest.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi expressed solidarity with the North, saying it was unacceptable that a region that once fed the nation is now struggling with hunger and despair. They pointed fingers at what they described as poor policy decisions by the Tinubu administration, especially on economic matters.

Atiku Abubakar didn’t hold back either. He blamed the rising insecurity and general breakdown of order on a lack of decisive leadership at the centre. Drawing from his time in office with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku reminded attendees how they acted quickly to prevent Boko Haram’s early rise in Yobe State, and boosted national policing through large-scale recruitment.

“What we’re seeing now is the result of failed leadership,” Atiku reportedly said. “This country can be saved, but not with this kind of governance.”

Abubakar Malami, who delivered the keynote address, was equally critical of the Tinubu-led government. He slammed the sudden removal of fuel subsidies and poorly managed border policies, saying these actions had wrecked the Northern economy, especially agriculture—the region’s economic backbone.

“In just a few days, the ruling party held a National Summit and rather than address the urgent issues Nigerians are facing, they endorsed President Tinubu for a second term—two years ahead of the elections,” Malami noted, describing it as a tone-deaf move at a time when Nigerians are in distress.

He accused the APC-led government of abandoning governance for politics, and warned that continuing on this path would only deepen the country’s woes.

At the heart of the meeting was a clear message: the North can no longer sit back. According to those present, there was strong support for the region to rally behind a united opposition effort to bring about real change in 2027.

Former SGF Babachir Lawal was named as one of the key figures leading the charge to unite like-minded voices across party lines and regions. Though no official declarations were made, sources close to the talks said the goal is to field a serious, consensus-driven alternative to the APC ahead of the next general election.