Dr. Ope Banwo, founder of Naija Lives Matter (NLM), has warned that a divided opposition could give President Bola Tinubu an electoral advantage in the 2027 presidential election.
Banwo expressed the position in a recent Facebook post, urging opposition parties to come together under one umbrella if they intend to make the next election genuinely competitive.
He argued that the failure of opposition leaders to establish a common front could undermine their collective efforts, particularly if prominent figures insist on pursuing separate political ambitions.
The NLM founder specifically mentioned Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying they should listen to calls for opposition unity.
According to Banwo, any political arrangement that leaves the opposition fragmented could amount to a coalition in favour of Tinubu, whom he referred to as Jagaban.
His warning reflects a longstanding challenge in opposition politics: how to reconcile the interests of different parties and influential politicians while building a platform capable of challenging an incumbent administration.
Where opposition parties contest separately, they risk dividing the votes of Nigerians who want a change of government among several candidates. However, a coalition would not automatically guarantee victory, as its success would also depend on the strength of its candidates, policy proposals, organisation and ability to attract voters.
The 2027 contest is therefore likely to test whether opposition parties can move beyond calls for cooperation and reach practical agreements on how to approach the election.
For a coalition to become effective, its participants would need to settle questions about leadership, candidate selection, campaign priorities and the political interests of the parties involved.
Banwo’s appeal places responsibility on opposition leaders to decide whether their individual ambitions should take precedence over a collective electoral strategy.
His central concern is that failure to unite could weaken the opposition before the campaign reaches its decisive stage.
As political discussions around 2027 continue, the question remains whether Nigeria’s opposition parties can build a common front or risk entering the contest as competing groups seeking the same electoral support.
