Senator Shehu Sani, a senior figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), has predicted a landslide victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections—provided the opposition parties fail to form a united front.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, May 8, Sani cited ongoing internal divisions and growing defections to the APC as key indicators that the ruling party is poised for dominance.
“There is no way you can remove a ruling party without a coalition,” said Sani, a former senator for Kaduna Central and prominent civil society advocate. “Opposition parties must put aside narrow interests and ambitions to serve the greater good of democracy.”
He criticized the fragmented stance of opposition parties, noting that major players such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have all signaled disinterest in forming a coalition.
“The SDP, PDP, NNPP — all have rejected coalition talks. The Labour Party is going it alone. If this continues, the APC will achieve a landslide in 2027,” Sani warned.
He emphasized that a unified opposition could significantly alter the electoral landscape, recalling the 2023 elections as a missed opportunity due to disunity.
If they come together, they could win many seats and become a serious force. But without unity, it’s a done deal for the APC.
Sani also pointed to what he described as an ideological void in Nigerian politics, where party loyalty is fluid and manifestos indistinguishable.
Political parties in Nigeria are not driven by ideology—they’re vehicles for ambition. That’s why defections are so common and inconsequential,” he explained.
He argued it’s not the APC’s role to stop opposition defections, saying, “It’s up to opposition parties to keep their members. Asiwaju [Tinubu] can’t babysit the opposition.
According to Sani, more defections from the PDP are likely due to unresolved internal conflicts, particularly its ongoing leadership crisis.
This is a party with two national secretaries. The Supreme Court ruling on the matter was inconclusive, leaving many unsure which faction holds legitimacy.
He warned that such instability would push even more members toward the APC.
A first-time PDP governor can’t be sure of securing a ticket. Neither can a PDP senator. That uncertainty is driving the exodus—and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.