By Kingston Magare 23-5-2025
Former Rivers State governor Rotimi Ameachi and his Cross River State counterpart Liyel Imoke will lead the two committees in the coalition bent on stopping President Bola Tinubu from winning re-election in 2027.
This is just as governors under the umbrella of the All-Progressives Congress have adopted President Tinubu as their presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
Rotimi Ameachi a former Minister of Transport in the Muhammadu Buhari regime and Imoke a former Minister of Power in the Obasanjo regime are expected to bring together all the anti-Tinubu coalitions and merge them into a strong force.
Their emergence as committee chairs was announced Thursday during a meeting of the coalitions in Abuja where also the League of Northern Democrats (LND), a political group formally declared its support for the National Opposition Coalition Group chaired by Senator President David Mark.
The political bigwigs present at the meeting include Atiku Abubarkar, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other political stalwats.
“The coalition set up two committees, among others, to consider the desirability or feasibility of registering a new political party and to consider fusing into an existing political party.
“The committee for fusing into another political party is headed by former Governor Liyel Imoke and the committee for registering a new political party was chaired by erstwhile Governor Rotimi Amaechi. I was the secretary of that subcommittee for the registering of new political parties,” said the convener of the LND Dr Umar Ardo.
Meanwhile President Tinubu said he expects his APC expand its reach with more politicians expected to join its ranks.
“You don’t expect people to remain in a sinking ship without a life jacket. I am happy with what we have accomplished and expecting more people to come; that’s the game,” Tinubu was quoted in a statement signed by Bayo Onanugu president adviser on information and strategy.