Former Secretary General of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Kayode Ogundamisi, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has successfully constructed a formidable political coalition across several geopolitical zones, but warned that the coalition may not be sufficient to secure his re-election if Nigerians themselves unite around their dissatisfaction with the prevailing economic and social conditions.
Ogundamisi made the remarks during an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica, in which he assessed the political calculations ahead of the 2027 presidential election and the opposition’s prospects of challenging the incumbent.
According to him, Tinubu has demonstrated considerable political astuteness by recognising the declining support for his administration in parts of the North and subsequently rebuilding his political coalition across other regions.
“President Tinubu is a smart politician,” Ogundamisi said, arguing that the President had responded to the political situation by assembling a coalition involving the North-Central, South-South, parts of the South-East, and North-East.
He also pointed to Tinubu’s ability to attract state governors and influential members of the political establishment as evidence of the strength of the President’s political machinery.
Ogundamisi said that, based purely on the President’s ability to consolidate the political class around his administration, some observers could conclude that he had already positioned himself strongly for the 2027 election.
However, he drew a distinction between a coalition of political elites and a coalition of ordinary Nigerians.
“He has built his coalition among the political class by being able to poach almost all the governors,” he said. “But he has failed to build a coalition among the Nigerian people.”
For the political commentator, that distinction could ultimately determine the outcome of the 2027 contest. He argued that if Nigerians dissatisfied with their living conditions could unite across ethnic, religious, and regional boundaries, the President’s political advantage could be significantly weakened.
The commentator was also highly critical of successive civilian administrations, accusing them of presiding over widespread corruption.
He described the scale of corruption under successive democratic governments as “unbelievable,” but argued that the situation had become worse under the current administration.
He argued that the present government had developed what he called a “scientific way of stealing,” citing the existence of multiple budgets running concurrently and the emergence of fake government agencies, which he says are “technically conduits for stealing.”
His comments reflect one of the major political criticisms ahead of the 2027 election: whether the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms constitute necessary restructuring or public resources are being mismanaged.
On the question of who should emerge as the principal challenger to Tinubu in 2027, Ogundamisi expressed a clear preference for Peter Obi.
He compared Obi and Tinubu in terms of their compassion for ordinary Nigerians and concluded that the former Anambra State governor had the advantage.
“If you put Peter Obi side by side with President Tinubu in terms of their level of compassion, Peter Obi stands out,” he said. “This is the time that Nigeria needs somebody who is compassionate to the people.”
He also questioned the continued presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, suggesting that the former presidential candidate should step aside in favour of Obi.
While acknowledging Atiku’s constitutional right to continue seeking the presidency, he nevertheless argued that the former Vice President should place national interest above personal ambition and allow Obi to emerge as the principal southern challenger to Tinubu.
“I believe it makes more sense for a southerner to run against President Tinubu based on the principle of rotational presidency,” he said.
Ogundamisi also spoke about his long-standing criticism of Nnamdi Kanu and the methods he employed in pursuing the Biafran cause.
According to Ogundamisi, Kanu openly advocated the acquisition of “guns and bombs” while addressing the World Igbo Congress in the United States, prompting him to write an article warning that Kanu was heading in a dangerous direction. He also criticised Kanu’s use of Radio Biafra to “spew provocative and venomous” rhetoric.
He, however, stressed that his criticism of Kanu’s methods should not be interpreted as opposition to the broader aspiration for self-determination among the Igbo.
Ogundamisi also explained that he coined the term “Biafraud” to distinguish the legitimate aspiration of the Igbo people for self-determination from what he described as the exploitation of that aspiration to raise funds and create disorder.
