Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, running for the presidency a record seventh time, has switched political parties at least four times since 1999. His recent interview with Arise Television, where he rebuked fellow contestants, raises questions about his political learning. Atiku failed to learn from the costly mistake of excluding Peter Obi from his 2023 presidential calculations and allowing the Nyesom Wike-led breakaway governors to exit the PDP, factors that contributed to his defeat.
In the interview, Atiku cast aspersions on Peter Obi's credentials, labeling him an ethnic aspirant with a narrow political base. He also questioned Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso's pan-Nigerian political reach, saying Kwankwaso only controls Kano State, which has been divided under his leadership. Such denigrating comments from a presidential aspirant seeking support from others are confounding.
Some sources suggest Atiku aimed to create a three-way race to benefit as a Northern candidate. However, this plan backfired. Obi and Kwankwaso's exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) weakened that party and strengthened the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as an emerging third force for 2027.
Obi's defection to NDC marks his fifth party switch: from PDP to APGA, back to PDP, then Labour Party, ADC, and now NDC. His moves reflect a desperate quest for a convenient platform rather than a consistent political philosophy. Atiku, too, has a history of party hopping: from PDP to Action Congress, back to PDP, then APC, and now ADC. Both leaders lack stable political bases.
Kwankwaso seems content as Obi's running mate, eyeing the 2031 presidency. His failure to secure a 2031 succession plan from President Tinubu led to the breakup of his New Nigeria Peoples Party and the defection of Kano Governor Abba Yusuf to the APC. Kwankwaso now hops parties with Obi after leaving the NNPP.
Atiku's political indiscretions include privatizing national assets, while Obi's tenure as Anambra governor is criticized for setting up a beer company and saving money while his people languished in poverty. Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, former ADC publicity secretary, stated that Obi is never interested in policy or program, saying, "Peter Obi doesn't know ADC's position on fuel subsidy because he has never been interested."
The defections highlight disunity among opposition politicians. With a divided rank, they cannot mount a serious challenge against the governing party. President Tinubu has remained a progressive throughout several electoral cycles while in opposition. The opposition has already prepared the grounds for their 2027 election failure in 2026.
As argued previously, the danger for democracy is not just a strong ruling party, but opposition parties that cannot model the constitutional order they promise to deliver and engender unity within their ranks.
