With political activities for the 2027 general election now gathering momentum, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi are making final preparations for their respective campaign councils as they position themselves for the presidential contest.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has intensified consultations with political associates and stakeholders as he works towards putting together a campaign structure capable of driving his message across the country.
Sources familiar with the discussions said consultations around Atiku’s campaign council have become more intense following the formal commencement of campaigns for the 2027 elections. The former vice president is expected to announce key appointments after completing discussions with stakeholders.
Obi, who is expected to contest under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, is also working on the structure of his campaign team, with his camp reviewing possible appointments and responsibilities ahead of the election.
The preparations come against the backdrop of growing pressure on opposition politicians to build a stronger political alliance capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
Atiku and Obi had previously been linked to discussions about the possibility of a single opposition presidential candidate. That proposal, however, has remained uncertain as different political groups continue to weigh their interests and strategies.
A group known as the G-100, led by former APC chieftain Salisu Lukman, had called on Atiku, Obi and other opposition figures to set aside individual ambitions and work towards presenting one candidate against the APC. The group argued that a divided opposition could struggle to defeat the ruling party.
The proposal has not produced a final agreement, leaving Atiku and Obi to continue preparing their individual political structures while discussions about possible cooperation remain part of the wider opposition conversation.
For Atiku, the campaign council will be particularly important as he begins another attempt at the presidency, this time on the platform of the ADC. His political team has said he remains open to initiatives aimed at strengthening the democratic opposition, although his participation in particular meetings or alliances depends on the finalisation of his schedule and consultations.
Obi, meanwhile, enters the 2027 contest with a strong political base built from his 2023 presidential campaign, when he emerged as a major force among younger voters and supporters of the Labour Party.
The emergence of the campaign councils will therefore provide a clearer picture of how both opposition figures intend to organise their campaigns, select key political operatives and take their messages to voters across the country.
With the APC also having constituted its own campaign council, naming former Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Yari as Director-General and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as secretary, the major political camps are increasingly putting their machinery in place for what is expected to be a fiercely contested 2027 presidential election.
The coming weeks are expected to reveal the full composition of the Atiku and Obi campaign teams, while the broader opposition alliance question continues to hang over the race. For now, both politicians appear focused on building the structures they believe can give them the strongest possible footing before Nigerians head to the polls in 2027.