Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other coalition leaders have gathered ahead of the 2027 election to win over certain northern leaders in their attempt to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
The meeting, convened by the National Political Consultative Group (North), was held behind closed doors on Sunday at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
On March 20, Atiku, Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and others in Abuja announced the formation of a coalition aimed at challenging President Boka Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The announcement sparked widespread debate about the prospects of opposition unity, with political stakeholders expressing varied opinions.
Attendees included former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara; and former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
Also present were the National Secretary of the Coalition for United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh; Kashim Ibrahim-Imam; and the 2023 Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, among others.
The meeting began shortly after 3 p.m. and concluded around 7pm, with all the conveners and participants refusing to make any comments.
Our correspondent, who was able to gain access to the meeting venue, reported that delegates from various states, particularly the 19 northern states spoke on the current state of the nation.
The PUNCH exclusively learnt that the discussions mainly focused on issues such as security, national unity, and the need for competent leadership to ensure effective governance.
However, about two hours into the meeting, chaos erupted when delegates from Jigawa State disrupted the proceedings.
Tensions rose when former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, announced a delegate to speak for the state.
In protest, several Jigawa delegates stormed the stage, blocking the delegate from speaking and insisting they would not be represented by those named.
As the confrontation escalated, security personnel, including members of the Nigerian Police, DSS, and private guards, quickly formed a protective barrier around key figures such as Atiku, Amaechi and others.
Calm was restored after several minutes of appeals, as Mustapha Lamido, son of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, along with another delegate, was chosen to speak on behalf of the state.
