Atiku announced the coalition at a joint press conference by ‘concerned leaders and political stakeholders in Nigeria.
Supporters of President Bola Tinubu have condemned a coalition spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other prominent opposition figures.
The group under the aegis of National Coalition for Asiwaju Mandate (NCAM) claimed the coalition is made up of people against Nigeria.
Recall that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, on 20th March 2025, announced the formation of a coalition of opposition political figures to unseat Tinubu in 2027.
Atiku announced the coalition at a joint press conference by ‘concerned leaders and political stakeholders in Nigeria on the unconstitutional declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State’.
Besides Atiku, other politicians championing the coalition include former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and a former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Salihu Lukman.
However, in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coalition for Asiwaju Mandate (NCAM) described the coalition as “people against Nigeria”.
National President of NCAM, Isaac Ikpa, who addressed journalists, criticised the coalition as a gathering of expired political relics and “political has-beens” driven by selfish ambition rather than a genuine desire to serve the nation.
Tinubu’s supporters accused Atiku, Peter Obi and El-Rufai of having a history of failed leadership, corruption, and divisive politics, adding that the coalition’s true intention is to hijack power for personal enrichment rather than national progress.
They urged Nigerians to reject the coalition’s “desperate attempt” to cling to power and instead support Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to NCAM, Tinubu has a proven track record of excellence, visionary leadership, and commitment to Nigeria’s progress, unlike the members of the coalition.
“We want Nigerians to understand that this so-called coalition unveiled by Atiku Abubakar is nothing more than a gathering of politicians seeking relevance.
“It is nothing more than a laughable attempt by individuals who have repeatedly failed the Nigerian people to rehabilitate their tarnished reputations.
“These are individuals with no vision, credibility, and have no business dictating the future of Nigeria. Their records have proven their inability to deliver good governance to the people of Nigeria.
“This coalition is doomed to fail because it is built on hypocrisy, deceit and personal ambition, rather than genuine concern for Nigeria’s progress.
“We, the National Coalition for Asiwaju Mandate (NCAM), stand firmly behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda. We call on all Nigerians to reject this desperate attempt by expired politicians to cling to power.
“We must not allow these individuals to derail the progress that Nigeria has made under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We must not give room for failed politicians to drag Nigeria backward into the abyss of corruption and bad governance.
“The future of our nation is at stake, and we must stand firm in our commitment to protect good governance, transformative leadership, and the progress of Nigeria,” the statement said.
