Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju has expressed doubts about the ability of any opposition merger to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Adeyanju, in an interview with Daily Post, argued that opposition parties missed a critical opportunity during the 2023 presidential election by failing to unite and present a unified candidate against Tinubu.
He highlighted that the 2023 election presented a unique advantage for the opposition as former President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly opposed Tinubu’s candidacy.
Adeyanju said, “What’s the point of the merger? Is it not to win elections? They can’t win any election against Tinubu’s alignment. They should continue on their ego path. I encourage them to stay divided so that Tinubu’s ‘babalawo’ can get a raise.
“They had just one job in the last election because we had a president who was clueless and not in charge. He failed so badly that his body language suggested he never wanted Tinubu to win—so all the opposition needed to do was present a united front, but they refused.
“Instead, they chose to wage an ego war. Kwankwaso said he’s the next president, and the same goes for Obi and Atiku. They divided their votes while INEC and Tinubu were united. They had their chance, but they blew it. This Tinubu can’t lose any election. Didn’t we see how the results on IReV differed from what was announced in the just-concluded Edo election?
“Tinubu can’t lose an election that he organizes, so it’s pointless. They shouldn’t merge—they should just entertain us and their supporters. There’s no need for any merger; everyone should go and test their popularity.
“All I see is a Tinubu-INEC merger, in a country where people’s votes don’t matter. When you talk about a merger, look at the Edo election, and watch what happens in Ondo as a formality. Look at the Kogi and Imo elections—there were no real elections in those places. That’s the country you’re talking about for a merger? They had the opportunity to defeat the APC, but they were too busy fooling around and playing to the gallery.”