By Seyi Odewale
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, says the ongoing coalition by the leaders of the opposition parties against President Bola Tinubu’s re-election will fail.
Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), said this while speaking with journalists yesterday in Osogbo.
He advised the likes of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, who were spearheading the coalition, not to waste their resources on the “already failed project.”
According to him, based on the formation of the coalition, the opposition leaders are only interested in using the platform to revive their faltering political careers.
Oyintiloye, who described the coalition as a mere gathering of expired opposition leaders, stated that their motive was not in any way for the benefit of Nigerians but rather for their gain.
He said that had it been the President offered leaders of the coalition appointments in his cabinet, they would be on the front line singing and praising him.
“Over the last 27 years, the Nigerian political landscape has witnessed numerous attempts at coalition-building, often driven by a desire to consolidate power and challenge dominant parties. However, history has consistently shown that these coalitions rarely succeed.
“So, forming a successful alliance in Nigeria requires more than just shared opposition. It demands unity, strategic compromise, and long-term cohesion.
“The motives must be altruistic, not parochial, not selfish, and it must embrace the management of peace and conflict, which are very paramount and essential.
“But looking critically at the ongoing coalition against the President, those involved are only interested in using the platform to revive their failing political careers.
“They are also forming the coalition to satisfy their greed, hatred for the President and the desperation to clinch power by all means. But the truth is that Tinubu is their master, and they will fail as usual,” he said.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, said that leaders of the coalition should revisit the memory of the 2023 general elections and ask themselves sincere questions.
The APC chieftain noted that in the prelude to the 2023 general elections, forces within and outside were against Tinubu’s election, but despite the gang-up, he still won.
