2027: I have preference among opposition leaders — Cardinal Onaiyekan

Former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has disclosed that he has a preferred opposition leader to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, but warned that divisions among opposition figures could give the ruling party an advantage.

The cardinal said opposition leaders risk losing the opportunity to unseat the incumbent president if they fail to agree on a common candidate, allowing votes against the ruling party to be divided among several contenders.

He made the remarks during an interview on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, where he called on opposition politicians to put aside personal ambitions and work towards presenting Nigerians with a credible alternative in the next general election.

Onaiyekan also urged Nigerians dissatisfied with the government’s performance to use their votes to hold elected officials accountable, arguing that elections remain an important opportunity for citizens to assess their leaders.

“Once in four years during the election, the people have the opportunity to assess their leaders. Their leaders, who are supposed to be also their representatives, not their bosses,” he said.

He rejected the idea that elections could no longer produce meaningful change, urging Nigerians not to lose faith in the democratic process.

The cardinal also cautioned against any suggestion of a return to military rule, insisting that the country must work within the democratic system to address its political challenges.

He said the central question ahead of the 2027 election was whether opposition parties and their leaders could offer voters a convincing alternative to the current administration.

“We all know who the government is, but we don’t know what the alternative is,” he said.

Onaiyekan warns opposition against splitting votes

Onaiyekan argued that opposition leaders who believe they can individually defeat Tinubu must recognise the electoral consequences of contesting against one another instead of rallying behind a single candidate.

He said the failure to coordinate their efforts could allow the president to retain power even if many voters wanted a change of government.

“Five people saying this government is not good, and each one says it’s me who will rule. They don’t know arithmetic,” he said.

He added, “If five of you are opposing one man, and you are telling all of us to scatter our votes among you, don’t you know that by simple arithmetic, the status quo will simply win by default?”

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Asked whether he supported a coalition among opposition leaders, the cardinal said political groups and individuals needed to overcome their differences and agree on a candidate capable of mounting a serious challenge to the ruling party.

“Whatever you call the names, these scattered voices should find a way of coming together to give us a viable alternative that we can vote for,” he said.

Despite expressing concern about the lack of unity among opposition figures, Onaiyekan disclosed that he had his own choice among those seeking to challenge Tinubu.

However, he said personal preferences would have limited impact if opposition leaders continued to pursue separate political ambitions, potentially splitting the votes of Nigerians seeking a change in government.

“It’s not as if, among the so many of them, I don’t have my preference, but I’m not happy if I vote my preference. You vote your own, and they vote their own,” he said.

Onaiyekan maintained that opposition leaders needed to go beyond their shared criticism of the current administration and establish a common position on the leadership and policies they would offer Nigerians if elected in 2027.