Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu currently has no formidable challenger ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that Nigeria’s opposition remains too fragmented to pose a credible threat to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, the former Abia State governor argued that the inability of opposition parties and their leaders to maintain a united front has significantly weakened their chances of challenging President Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
“He has no competition. The opposition is very weak,” Kalu said, adding that if the opposition had remained united, the APC would have been facing a much tougher electoral contest.
Kalu attributed the APC’s confidence to what he described as the Tinubu administration’s developmental projects, including road infrastructure, as well as the party’s nationwide political structure and membership strength. He, however, acknowledged that the Federal Government has not effectively communicated many of its achievements to Nigerians, noting that the President has not focused on publicising his administration’s performance.
The senator further assessed Tinubu’s performance in office, stating that the President has performed “about 65 per cent well” and expressed optimism that the administration’s rating could improve further in the coming months. He also predicted that voters in Northern Nigeria would ultimately support Tinubu based on what he described as the government’s performance.
Kalu’s remarks come amid continued political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Efforts to build a broad opposition coalition in 2025 initially brought together influential politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, under a coalition platform aimed at unseating the APC.
However, disagreements over leadership, structure, and strategy eventually weakened the alliance, leading to fresh political realignments. The coalition has since struggled to maintain cohesion, with key figures pursuing different political paths, a development analysts believe has strengthened the APC’s position ahead of the 2027 polls.
As political activities gradually intensify ahead of the next general election, Kalu maintained that the APC remains well-positioned to retain power unless the opposition succeeds in resolving its internal divisions and presenting a united front against the ruling party.
