A coalition of strange bedfellows, destined to hit the rock, by Kola Amzat

In Abuja, last week Thursday, precisely March 20, 2025, former Vice President, as well as a serial PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the immediate past governor, Kaduna state, the combustible Mallam El-Rufai, former Secretary to the Government of Federation, the inconsequential Babachir Lawal and few others, converged at the press conference held by Concerned Leaders and Political Stakeholders in Nigeria, to announce the birth of an opposition coalition.

They indeed seized the platform ordinarily meant to address the raging issue of Emergency Rule Declaration in Rivers State to confirm to Nigerians, the arrival of their coalition group. 

 The very few of the coalition members present at the press conference looked very dejected, distraught, subdued, overpowered and forlorn, a testament to their self-doubt of the eventual success of the project aimed at unseat President Bola Tinubu during the forthcoming 2027  presidential election.    

During the conference, it was glaring that the key figures of the coalition group present, might have come to the realization of the fact that they’re practically on their own, as generality of Nigerians seemed absolutely indifferent to their ignoble cause. 

They also suddenly realized that, perhaps, they are on the path of political misadventure, with their failure to gauge the mood of the nation, making them unduly bothering Nigerians with COALITION ISSUE rather than squarely addressing the subject at stake, which was the Emergence Rule Declaration in Rivers. 

Very instructively, it seems dawned on them that, the coalition project that they erroneously believed would serve their primordial interest might have hit the rock, with all indications pointing to the fact that the selfish political initiative might have been “Dead on Arrival”.

This is their dilemma!

Meanwhile, despite the uncertainty surrounding the eventual success of the project, Alhaji Abubakar summoned up the courage of lion, openly declared that the coalition initiative is not indeed concerned with governance, but more of strategic effort aimed at sending parking All Progressive Congress led government in 2027.  

And, what a wishful thinking this might turned out to be!

According to them, what interests them is grabbing power and authority. They bluntly refused to brief Nigerians, to what use they would put the power?

It was glaring that the members of the group in attendance were totally oblivious of the huge challenges involve in assuming the leadership of very sensitive and diverse country as Nigeria, with more than 300 ethnic groups spread across the country with diverse interests, diverse cultures & traditions, different political ideologies, as well as diverse religious affiliations.  

The members of the group arrogantly declared that, what’s of main interest to them is to grab power.  

No new political ideology that would have provided justifications for some segments of Nigerian society to at least, consider switching camp from ruling party!

No fresh Agenda that would have offer alternatives to what generality of Nigerians are benefiting from the present government!

Very importantly and most damning is the fact that the supposed arrow heads of the coalition group, particularly those who registered their presence at the press conference are those who presently attracting the INDIGNATION & WRATH of Nigerians across the length and breadth for their negative political antecedents.

It’s the same story of genuine doubts and aspersions for the key figures reportedly to be integral part of the group, but, failed to attend the press conference for fear of backlash. 

What would Atiku Abubakar tell Nigerians that would be credible? He had less salutary and riotous tenure as Vice President of this country for 8 years, so much that his boss then, Olusegun Obasanjo, a retired general VOWED that over his dead body would Atiku assumes the presidency of Nigeria. 

As I put up this Piece, the former president hasn’t changed his mind in this respect. 

If the former Customs & Excise boss couldn’t function meritoriously and patriotically under an experienced and highly Administrator as Obasanjo, it’s clear that he would simply be a disaster waiting to happen, if Nigerians mistakenly offer him mandate to lead the country.  

There are other damning justifications why Alhaji Atiku must not smell presidency. 

In Nigerian political landscape, he remains the most inconsistent political key figure, changing party at will and at slightest opportunity, a development that subject his mental stability, endurance level and temperate to lead sensitive country as Nigeria to serious doubt & questioning.

Mallam El-Rufai is combustible, disruptive, politically immature, imbued with large dose of spirit self-entitlements and self-centeredness. 

His patriotism to our dear country is also seriously in doubt.

A testament to this was careless and unethical disposal of national assets and monuments largely to Atiku Abubakar and his ilk for peanuts under his watch as DG, Bureau of Public Enterprises. 

What they collaborated to do then was tantamount to direct affront and assault to the nation Treasury. 

His tenure as FCT minister brought pains and tribulations to several Nigerians whose houses were mindlessly demolished, with acres of land seized and eventually allocated to cronies.

Meanwhile, his reign as Kaduna state governor was characterized with corruption at his height, with revelation of almost half a Trillion Naira of the state thoroughly mismanaged during his 8 years tenure.

Most damning was the regime of carnage, with references to massive destruction of human beings and property particularly in Southern Kaduna throughout 8 years his governorship endure, a fact that was attested to by the Nigerian senate that decided against his confirmation as a Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 

With El-Rufai uncontrollable temperament that has recently manifested in fighting everybody in sight including his incumbent state governor, this writer gives Nigeria under his watch, ONLY few months to survive as INDIVISIBLE ENTITY.  

The former Kaduna governor utterances and combative nature is capable of influencing country disintegration like that of defunct USSR, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia. 

This is the man that is now running skelter, positioning himself to lead the country! 

Not in this century, In Sha-Allah!

What would this writer write about former Secretary to Government of Federation, Babachir Lawal other than a political figure who is predominantly ruled by envy, strife, jealousy, greed and sheer bitterness of soul?

His exit from government as SGF during Buhari administration was distasteful and disgraceful.

Besides his presence at federal level, having served as SGF during immediate past administration, it’s very doubtful if Babachir is known in his ward in Adamawa state. 

He belongs to the class of politicians who just grandstand, without no significant electoral value. 

But, their stock in trade and relevance comes from mounting propaganda in Abuja against present government for the reasons best known to them,

Rotimi Amaechi, also mentioned as a member of this group has since lost his electoral value in Rivers state. 

He’s been thoroughly diminished by former governor, Nyesom Wike, politically. Amaechi is also a former celebrated political figure who has completely lost his electoral value, except to run to Abuja at slightest opportunity to start orchestrating mischief against the president.

Kayode Fayemi, which is also reportedly a key member of the group is equally like Amaechi, who has lost influence in Ekiti state, except hanging on to his relationship with the governor of the state.

If anyone is in doubt with my observations, let them encourage him to prove his mettle by contesting senatorial elections in the state. 

Rauf Aregbesola, who also muted as a member of the group hasn’t recovered from bullet that hit him, through his dismissal from APC.

The former governor of Osun state remains without party, an unpleasant development that has significantly ruined his huge political influence in the nation political sphere. 

The above personalities are the architects of coalition group making spirited efforts to unhorse and outmaneuvered the president and his APC party during the 2027 forthcoming general elections.

The question is now at the doorsteps of Nigerians to evaluate and assess the aforementioned members with respect to their political antecedents.

Do they have the political wherewithal to run this country? Are they visionary enough to lead Nigerians out of the wood? Do they have credible political antecedents to run a sensitive and dynamic country as Nigeria?

The humble response of this writer to the questions posed above is NO!

Rather than preoccupying themselves with ascending to the office they don’t capacity to run, members of this group are advised to eat the humble pie, mellow down, work in concert and collaborate with the president with the aim and objective of taking the country to greater height.    

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.