A major political crisis has erupted across Nigeria’s opposition parties as Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Ademola Adeleke, and Nyesom Wike push back against allegations of anti-party conduct following their appointments as state campaign coordinators for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The cross-party appointments were formally confirmed during the inauguration of the expanded Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Saturday, October 31, 2026. During the event, Prof. Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance was named the state campaign coordinator for Anambra. Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party was appointed to lead the campaign in Osun, pledging to mobilise 1.5 million votes through his Imole Campaign Council. Concurrently, Peoples Democratic Party chieftain and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike was assigned to coordinate Rivers State and the capital territory under what he described as a broad national rainbow coalition.
Prof. Soludo further fuelled the controversy at the inauguration by openly declaring that his party would not field a presidential candidate in 2027, arguing that the incumbent administration requires a second term to consolidate ongoing reforms.
The strategic alignments have sparked severe internal rebellion. Senior opposition figures have condemned the arrangement as political sabotage, insisting that prominent leaders cannot serve an opposing presidential candidate while their own parties field legislative contenders. National Assembly candidates running under opposition platforms in Anambra and Osun have expressed alarm, warning that urging the electorate to split their ballots could cause severe voter confusion and trigger retaliatory protest votes that may ultimately derail their legislative ambitions.
Discontent has also spilt over into the ruling party’s local chapters. Local stalwarts in Osun argue that installing an opposition leader as the head of the ruling party’s campaign weakens grassroots structures and deprives their legislative candidates of unified platform support. Similarly, foundational members in Anambra have forcefully rejected Prof. Soludo’s appointment, demanding an immediate reversal to prevent cross-party defectors from marginalising long-standing loyalists.
Defending their positions, the embattled leaders maintain that their decisions are rooted in pragmatic governance. Campaign spokespersons for Adeleke assert that supporting the federal administration will not compromise state-level legislative victories, citing the necessity of federal synergy. Prof. Soludo insists his alignment reflects a national elite consensus prioritising regional stability, while Wike continues to argue that building a broad coalition is essential for national unity, superseding strict partisan divides.
