By Dr. Wumi Akintide
There is only one presidential vacancy in 2027, but there are six ravenous and desperate contenders; six angry and hungry dogs, whose ultimate, non-negotiable mission is to grab the bone of power and run away with it, leaving nothing for the others.
Their ambition is not collective; it is deeply personal. They are not in the race to share; they are in it to conquer and dominate.
Let us briefly examine these six gladiators.
Abeni Aso-Oke
First on the list is Atiku Abubakar, a Fulani chieftain and seasoned political juggernaut with over three decades of active political engagement. Having served as Nigeria’s Vice President for eight years under President Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku is a serial contestant who has refused to abandon his long-standing ambition to become President.
He sees himself as the best-prepared and most deserving candidate, and he is unrelenting in his pursuit, despite several unsuccessful attempts in the past. To Atiku, the 2027 race may very well be his last chance, and he is prepared to deploy everything within his arsenal to seize the moment.
Next is Nasir El-Rufai, another Fulani power player often described as an “Oliver Twist”—always asking for more. El-Rufai is widely known for his sharp intellect, administrative ruthlessness, and long-standing ambition to ascend to the presidency. His decision to enrol for a PhD at Oxford University is not merely academic; it is part of a grand strategy to bolster his profile and position himself as a global statesman.
Having served as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister for years and as the Governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai has earned a reputation as a shrewd but polarising figure. He was recently humiliated when his nomination as a minister was rejected by the Senate, a defeat that still rankles him. He remains bitter, especially towards President Tinubu, whom he blames for not fighting hard enough to push his nomination through. For El-Rufai, 2027 presents both a mission of ambition and a personal vendetta.
Following El-Rufai is Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State and one of the most charismatic politicians to emerge in recent years. Obi, who came close in the 2023 presidential election, is widely regarded as the face of a new political movement driven by the youth and the Labour Party. He believes it is time for an Igbo man to break the jinx and finally become the Executive President of Nigeria,more than five decades after the Biafran War.
Obi sees himself not just as a candidate, but as a symbol of hope for the marginalised South-East. He believes his time is now, and he is unlikely to back down from the fight, no matter the odds.
Next is Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State and former Minister of Transportation. Amaechi is no stranger to political battles. He is fearless, outspoken, and has carved out a reputation as a political bulldozer, always ready to confront and challenge the status quo.
He was one of the earliest high-profile dissenters within the APC after the 2023 elections, boldly declaring that the political space had been reduced to a brutal fight among hungry dogs. His comments reveal not just frustration, but a determination to be a major player in the looming battle.
Also in the mix is Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, a technocrat-turned-politician who has carefully built his profile as one of the more progressive and pragmatic governors in Nigeria. Makinde, one of the PDP governors in the South-West, may see himself as a bridge-builder and a potential unifier. However, the political terrain he seeks to navigate is treacherous. His ambition may be noble, but whether he can withstand the weight of entrenched political forces remains to be seen.
Finally, there is Pastor Tunde Bakare, General Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, a man who has consistently declared that God revealed to him that he is destined to be the 16th President of Nigeria. Bakare is no ordinary contender. His blend of spiritual conviction and political aspiration makes him a curious figure in the race.
However, Nigeria’s political history is littered with prophets whose divine visions did not materialise. Whether Bakare’s prophecy will stand the test of time or fade into the familiar dust of political disappointment is something only time will reveal.
These six political gladiators are not merely challenging the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They are simultaneously scheming against one another. Their collective ambition to dislodge Tinubu in 2027 will likely be undermined by their individual greed, conflicting interests, and deep-seated rivalries. Before they can even dream of unseating Tinubu, they will first have to battle one another, possibly to the point of mutual destruction.
It is easy to predict that the two Yoruba contenders; Tunde Bakare and Seyi Makinde will likely suffer the fate of political miscalculations, much like the historical betrayals that saw Obasanjo abandon Awolowo, MKO Abiola, and even Tinubu himself.
Those betrayals ended in failure and are still bitter reference points in Nigeria’s political discourse.
It is also foreseeable that the remaining four; Atiku, El-Rufai, Amaechi, and Obi, will face insurmountable challenges if President Tinubu manages to stabilise his administration and deliver, even partially, on his Renewed Hope Agenda.
In such a scenario, their ambitions may crash under the weight of Tinubu’s political machinery, incumbency power, and deeply entrenched networks.
They all have their work cut out for them. As the Yoruba proverb wisely says, “Lai ku Ekiri, ko seni je fi awo re se gbedu”—meaning, “Unless the Buffalo dies, no one can use its skin for a ceremonial drum.” In this context, Tinubu is that proverbial Buffalo; stubborn, resilient, and not easily toppled.
For now, all we can do is “siddon dey look”, as the late Uncle Bola Ige once famously advised, and watch as this Nigerian political drama plays out over the next two years. The battle promises to be brutal, intriguing, and ultimately defining for the future of Nigeria.
We wait patiently.
I rest my case.
Prince Dr. Wumi Akintide, a Public Affairs commentator, writes from Oyemekun Terrace, New York City.
The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.
