Tinubu’s Camp Dismisses Obi, Atiku, Duke Alliance As ‘Exercise In Futility’

The Renewed Hope Project 2027 has dismissed moves by opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, to form a political alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to Ireporter Online, the group described the proposed opposition coalition as an “exercise in futility,” insisting that the development would not affect President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing another term in office.

The group made its position known on Monday in Abuja during the inauguration and unveiling of the Renewed Hope Project 2027, organised under the theme, “A New Beginning, A Shared Vision, With Greater Nigeria.”

The event brought together political leaders, government appointees, members of the National Assembly, representatives of serving governors and grassroots coordinators and mobilisers from different parts of the country.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who serves as the Grand Patron of the initiative, said the group was established to mobilise grassroots support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Technical, Babatunde Bernard, Akume said the organisation would highlight what it described as verifiable achievements of the administration while taking its message to Nigerians across the country.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration was addressing some of Nigeria’s longstanding structural challenges, citing local government autonomy and digital reforms as examples of policies aimed at improving governance and service delivery.

The SGF also pointed to increased interest from foreign investors as an indication that Nigeria was becoming more attractive for foreign direct investment.

According to him, the administration had given Nigerians renewed hope, adding that significant national development often required difficult decisions and sacrifices.

Reacting to reports of an opposition alliance involving Atiku, Obi and other political figures, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, retired Major General Abdulmalik Jibril, described the proposed coalition as an “exercise in futility.”

Jibril argued that the coming together of opposition politicians would not derail Tinubu’s re-election bid, insisting that voters would ultimately assess the administration based on its performance.

He challenged critics of the government to identify an administration that had delivered comparable results, arguing that the assessment of any government should be based on tangible achievements rather than political rhetoric.

Jibril also rejected comparisons between the current political situation and the events that preceded the All Progressives Congress’ victory over the Goodluck Jonathan administration in the 2015 presidential election.

He argued that the 2015 outcome was influenced by perceptions surrounding the performance of the government at the time and should not automatically be compared with the present political environment.

The Tinubu support group also dismissed claims that dissatisfaction in northern Nigeria could negatively affect the President’s chances in 2027.

Jibril maintained that such claims were largely based on opinions that did not accurately reflect developments on the ground, pointing to government initiatives in education, infrastructure, technology transfer and skills acquisition as areas where he said northern Nigerians had benefited.

He particularly cited the student loan scheme, arguing that it could help expand access to higher education for students from financially disadvantaged families.

The group maintained that the 2027 election would ultimately be determined by Nigerians and expressed confidence that the Tinubu administration’s record would speak for itself as political activities intensify ahead of the poll.