Lere Olayinka, the spokesman for Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, has shared his thoughts on why any opposition led by Atiku Abubakar, the former PDP presidential candidate, is bound to fail.

Meanwhile, Olayinka suggested that if President Bola Tinubu promises to hand over power to Atiku in 2027, the former Vice President would abandon the opposition and join the All Progressives Congress (APC) without hesitation.

His remarks came after Atiku’s visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna, where he was accompanied by key political figures like Nasir El-Rufai, Aminu Tambuwal, and Gabriel Suswam. Atiku claimed his visit was to pay Sallah respects to Buhari. However, Olayinka dismissed this reason, suggesting Atiku should instead visit former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta to mark Lisabi Day.

In a Facebook post, Olayinka made it clear that any opposition led by Atiku would fail from the start. He humorously added, “If President Tinubu calls Atiku tomorrow and says, ‘Join APC, I’ll hand over to you in 2027,’ he’ll be in APC in no time.”

Also, Olayinka took a jibe at Atiku’s visit plans, inviting him to attend the Egungun Festival in Okemesi Ekiti next month, playfully reminding him not to forget to pay his respects there as well.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar paid a Sallah visit to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday at his Daura residence in Katsina State, accompanied by a group of high-profile politicians.

Atiku said the visit was purely a show of respect and goodwill for the Eid celebration, not a political move.

The meeting has sparked interest, especially with the 2027 elections drawing closer, but Atiku dismissed any talks of political motives or coalition plans.

“We came to greet President Buhari for Sallah. Nothing more,” he told reporters.

Among those in the delegation were former Kaduna and Sokoto governors, Nasir El-Rufai and Aminu Tambuwal, along with other notable figures.

Atiku also explained the delay in his visit, saying he was attending to duties in Adamawa, where he stood in for the Lamido of Adamawa during the celebrations.

Despite speculations, he emphasized that the visit had no ties to 2027 politics.

“It’s simply about showing respect and sharing in the joy of the season,” he added.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has strongly denied rumors that he plans to leave the party.

Speaking at the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, Obi addressed speculations linking him to other political parties like the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He made it clear that he has never considered leaving Labour.

Obi and the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, had called for the emergency meeting after the Supreme Court’s decision to remove Julius Abure as the party’s National Chairman.

While Obi emphasized that Labour Party is open to talks with other parties ahead of the 2027 elections, he clarified that any such discussions would involve the party’s stakeholders, not him alone.

“Labour Party is still my party of choice, despite the challenges we’ve faced,” Obi said. “I assure you, I am still with Labour, and I’ve never had discussions with any other party. If we are going to talk to anyone, it will be as a party, not just Peter Obi.”

Additionally, he stressed that Labour Party’s decisions, including leadership choices, would be made collectively, with input from all stakeholders. “We must work together as a family. Everyone is welcome, and everyone has the right to contest,” he added.