By Mardiyyah Abubakar
Former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje says Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar do not have the political structure needed in Northern Nigeria to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking at a public event in Kano, Ganduje described the North as the deciding region in presidential contests and argued that neither opposition leader commands enough grassroots support to win there.
“The North is strategic in every presidential election in Nigeria. With due respect to our friends in the opposition, neither Peter Obi nor Atiku Abubakar can mobilise sufficient support in this region to defeat President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.
The former Kano State governor said ongoing coalition talks among opposition parties would not change the political reality, insisting that both politicians lack the grassroots networks needed to make significant gains across Northern states.
Ganduje also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tighten the requirements for registering political parties.
He said only parties with functional structures, clear ideologies and a broad national presence should participate in elections.
According to him, stricter registration rules would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy by ensuring that only viable political parties contest elections.
