A former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has urged opposition parties to present experienced politicians from southern Nigeria if they want to mount a strong challenge against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Akande specifically mentioned former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, as leaders who have the experience and political strength to contest the presidency.
He made the remarks during an interview on the television programme Sunrise Daily on Channels Television on Friday.
Akande said that if opposition parties are serious about challenging the current administration, they should focus on credible candidates who have held major leadership positions in the past.
During the interview, Akande specifically advised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to promote experienced politicians as possible presidential candidates.
According to him, both Amaechi and Obi have served in important public offices and have the experience needed to compete in a national election.
“If they were serious, people like Rotimi Amaechi, people like Peter Obi ought to be the ones to be pushed forward,” Akande said.
He explained that credible candidates with strong records in public service would stand a better chance of challenging the incumbent president.
Akande highlighted the long political career of Amaechi as one of the reasons he believes the former minister could be a strong presidential contender.
Amaechi served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly before becoming governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015.
He later served as Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2023.
During his time in the federal cabinet, Amaechi supervised several railway and infrastructure projects across the country.
Akande said this experience across different levels of government gives Amaechi a strong background in leadership and governance.
“Look at Amaechi. Amaechi has been a speaker, he’s been a governor, he’s been a minister,” Akande said.
According to him, the former minister also held a high position within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and played important roles in the party’s development.
Akande also mentioned Peter Obi as another southern politician with the capacity to contest for the presidency.
Obi served as governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014.
He later contested the presidency in the 2023 general election under the Labour Party.
Although he did not win the election, Obi gained significant support, especially among young voters and urban residents.
Akande believes Obi’s political profile and national recognition make him a strong candidate for future elections.
According to Akande, opposition parties must present strong candidates if they want to compete effectively against the ruling party.
He said credible leaders with experience in governance are better positioned to challenge an incumbent president.
Akande explained that a southern candidate with a solid record in public office could stand “head-to-head” with President Tinubu.
Akande believes that presenting such candidates will strengthen the opposition and provide voters with clear alternatives.
Akande also warned that without a strong alternative candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar could continue to dominate opposition politics ahead of the next presidential election.
Atiku has contested the presidency several times and remains one of the most influential politicians in the opposition.
He was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election.
According to Akande, Atiku’s influence within opposition politics remains strong.
“As things stand now, if you keep getting the vibes that Atiku wants to do it by his means, he will probably be able to forge his way through,” Akande said.
He added that Atiku appears to be one of the strongest politicians within opposition circles.
“The shadows of Atiku are still hanging heavily,” he said.
Although the next presidential election is still some years away, political discussions about possible candidates have already begun in different parties.
President Tinubu, who won the 2023 election, is expected by many observers to seek a second term in office in 2027.
Nigeria’s constitution allows a president to serve a maximum of two four-year terms.
For opposition parties, selecting strong candidates early could help them build political support ahead of the election.
Akande stressed that experience in governance should be an important factor when choosing candidates.
He said leaders who have served at different levels of government often have better knowledge of how the system works.
Such experience, he said, can help them handle the responsibilities of national leadership.
According to him, both Amaechi and Obi have held important positions in government and have built strong political reputations over the years.
Political discussions about the 2027 election are expected to increase as parties begin planning their future strategies.
Within opposition circles, debates continue about how to build alliances and present candidates capable of winning national elections.
For now, Akande’s comments have added to the ongoing debate about who could emerge as strong contenders in Nigeria’s next presidential race.
