Former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has raised the alarm that the opposition’s bid to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 could collapse if the wrong presidential candidate emerges.
In a candid conversation with Weekend Trust, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart dismissed speculations about his name being paired with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for a possible joint ticket, describing such reports as “mere rhetoric and distraction.”
“The 2027 project is about saving Nigeria, not promoting individuals,” Lamido cautioned. “If we allow the wrong person to lead the coalition, it will break apart before it even takes off.”
Lamido did not spare the ruling APC, which he accused of plunging the country into deeper insecurity, corruption and hardship. He alleged that President Bola Tinubu has reduced governance to a personal fiefdom, targeting perceived rivals instead of fixing the nation’s problems.
“Since 2015, has anything changed under the APC? Are Nigerians better off? The answer is no,” he charged. “Tinubu uses state power to intimidate opponents, not to govern.”
On the crisis rocking the PDP, Lamido singled out FCT Minister Nyesom Wike as the arrowhead of internal sabotage. He accused Wike of being a tool in the hands of the APC, constantly undermining party discipline.
“Tinubu is using Wike to destabilise the PDP. He acts as if he owns the party, running to court at every turn and issuing threats. If the PDP enforces discipline, Nigerians will take it seriously again,” Lamido argued.
According to him, the PDP still carries the historic responsibility of rescuing Nigeria, as it did in 1999. But to do so, he said, the party must cleanse itself of impunity and restore internal order.
While many opposition actors are exploring a coalition platform ahead of 2027, Lamido insisted that most of them – from Atiku Abubakar to Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Nasir El-Rufai – are all products of the PDP.
“Rather than chasing fragile alliances, let them return to the PDP and submit to its discipline. That is how Nigeria can be saved,” he advised.
The former governor described Nigeria as “sick and unsafe” under the current administration, warning that the choice of opposition flagbearer could determine the country’s fate.
“If we get it right, Nigeria will be safe. If we get it wrong, then we are in trouble,” he warned.