Ahead of the 2027 general election , former Vice President Atiku, o Abubakar and Nasir El- Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, have joined forces with other political heavy weights to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
The coalition was unveiled at a joint press conference in Abuja on Thursday, where the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar led the charge against what he described as an “autocratic federal overreach,” stating that Tinubu had succumbed to political favoritism rather than upholding his oath to govern impartially.
Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the government of the federation SGF, Emeka Ihedioha, former Governor of Imo State, Salihu Usman,
former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum,, and Adamu Waziri, former minister of Police Affairs, were present at the meeting at the famous Yar’ Adua center, Abuja, where the coalition was unveiled
Former Governors Kayode Fayemi and Rotimi Amaechi sent in apologies for their absence at the event.
The coalition of political leaders and stakeholders, in their presentation condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State.
Read also: 2027: Atiku, El-Rufai join forces to challenge Tinubu
The coalition described Tinubu’s action as a blatant abuse of power and an unconstitutional maneuver to remove a democratically elected government.
At a joint press conference in Abuja on the former Vice President led the team against what he described as an “autocratic federal overreach,” stating that Tinubu had succumbed to political favoritism rather than upholding his oath to govern impartially.
The coalition said the “president’s illegal and unconstitutional proclamation was presumably driven by the insidious political crisis in Rivers State, which culminated in the recent Supreme Court ruling,” Abubakar said. “However, rather than allowing the law to take its course, he has chosen to impose federal control over a duly elected government. This is a brazen assault on democracy.”
The stakeholders argued that the declaration of a State of Emergency was an overreach and a deliberate attempt to sideline Fubara’s administration.
“The Nigerian Constitution does not grant the president the power to remove an elected governor, deputy governor, or state legislature,” the political leaders said in a joint statement. “Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides a clear impeachment process that must be initiated by the State House of Assembly, not through presidential decree.”
The move has been widely criticized as a dangerous precedent that could allow future presidents to arbitrarily remove state governors, eroding Nigeria’s federal system.
Legal experts and opposition figures argue that Tinubu’s invocation of emergency powers does not meet constitutional requirements.
Section 305 of the Constitution, which grants the president authority to declare a state of emergency, limits such actions to extreme circumstances like war, external aggression, or a total breakdown of public order.
“There is no war in Rivers State. There is no widespread violence. There is no existential threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty,” Abubakar stated.
“This is nothing but a manufactured crisis designed to consolidate power.”
They stated that the declaration also bypassed a key constitutional requirement – approval from a two-thirds majority in both houses of the National Assembly. Without this approval, the proclamation should be deemed null and void.
Read also: Echoes of the past: Has Tinubu betrayed Nigeria’s democratic principles?
They confirmed that the coalition represents a cross-section of leaders and political stakeholders from across the country, adding that “We have come together to address the dangerous and unconstitutional actions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on March 18, 2025—to wit, the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and the illegal suspension of the democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly.
They stated further that Tinubu’s action is not only unlawful but also a clear subversion of democracy and imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government.
“We strongly condemn this development and call on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this brazen assault on the constitution of our country and the institutions of our democracy.
“Mr President’s illegal and unconstitutional proclamation was presumably driven by the protracted insidious political crisis in Rivers State, which culminated in the recent ruling of the Supreme Court. Naturally, we expected all parties to the dispute to follow laid-down procedures, and in good faith, to promptly implement the judgment of the highest court of the land. We note that despite provocative statements and belligerent attitude of his opponents, Governor Fubara had demonstrated goodwill and appeared disposed to the implementation of the ruling of the Supreme Court
“However, rather than rise above the fray, the president yielded to petty favouritism and betrayed the oath that he solemnly swore to before God and man, which was to “do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.” If president Tinubu had conveniently disguised his true intentions in the past, his broadcast to the nation on 18th March 2025 betrayed his bias and fell far below the standard of comportment expected from his exalted office”
