Breaking News: Surely they Shall Gather, But Their Gathering Lacks Political Structure

Former Kano State Governor and Chairman of the League of Northern Democrats (LND), Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has repudiated the recent convergence of dissenting figures, asserting that it is devoid of the necessary institutional framework to rival the governing of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 polls.

In a declaration issued on Thursday, Shekarau characterized the alliance as an unofficial conclave of presidential contenders rather than a formally organized political amalgamation.

He observed that the coalition does not have the endorsement of the leadership of major opposition parties, particularly the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic party (PDP).

“The confluence of some senior members of dissenting parties is a laudable development, as witnessed recently under what they term a ‘coalition’ of opposition parties. But regrettably, most individuals do not comprehend that this so-called coalition has no affiliation with the major opposition parties; PDP and LP,” Shekarau declared.

According to him, the coalition is being propelled by individuals rather than established political structures, rendering it improbable to pose a formidable challenge to the APC dominance.

He juxtaposed the current situation with the 2013 amalgamation that led to the formation of the APC, which involved the unification of four registered parties; the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), the Action congress of Nigeria(ACN) , the Congress for Progressive Change(CPC), and a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA).

“The first political amalgamation in the region occurred in 2013 when four registered parties merged to form the APC. Thus, technically, the APC is not a ‘new party.’

It was an alliance of registered opposition political parties that were already well-established, with elected state governors, state and National assembly members, and substantial grassroots support,” .Shekarau explained

Shekarau further argued that the recent passage of the controversial State of Emergency law for Rivers State in the National Assembly exposed the coalition’s lack of influence over opposition lawmakers.

“What transpired at the National Assembly on March 20, 2025, regarding the ‘Emergency’ in Rivers state has exposed the so-called coalition. It is evident they have no control over opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly,” he stated.

He added that if the coalition leaders had any genuine influence, the APC government would not have secured the requisite votes for the Law passage.

Drawing from historical precedent, Shekarau alluded to the failure of a similar coalition attempt in 2019, which brought together ten political parties against the APC but eventually collapsed due to a lack of inclusivity.

“The 2019 ‘coalition’ was formally launched almost a year before the election at the Yar’Adua Center, yet none of the then-elected PDP leaders was in attendance. No amount of clamour or unofficial alliances by individual politicians in the name of dissent will have any impact in election unless the full leadership structure of opposition parties at all levels is involved,” he cautioned.

He also repudiated claims that APC strategy of recruiting opposition members is solely responsible for the opposition parties’ weakness, stating that opposition leaders must assume responsibility for strengthening their own parties.

“The simplistic assertion that the APC is recruiting and destabilizing opposition parties is, to me, naive. Why are the so-called ‘prominent figures’ in the opposition parties unable to resist defection? Why don’t they unite to properly fund and build their parties while mobilizing grassroots support?” he inquired.