Former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has said former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi do not have the political structure needed in Northern Nigeria to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking at a public event in Kano over the weekend, Ganduje described the North as the deciding region in presidential elections.
He argued that the two opposition candidates lack the grassroots support required to win the region.
He said, “The North is strategic in every presidential election in Nigeria. With due respect to our friends in the opposition, neither Peter Obi nor Atiku Abubakar can mobilise sufficient support in this region to defeat President Tinubu in 2027.”
Ganduje also said that despite ongoing opposition coalition talks, Atiku and Obi have not built strong political structures across the North to make major electoral gains.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to introduce stricter conditions for registering political parties, saying only parties with functional structures, clear ideologies and nationwide presence should be recognised.
According to him, “Stricter registration standards will strengthen our democracy by ensuring that only viable political parties participate in elections.”