The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has spoken on the opposition coalition involving the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Baba-Ahmed said the coalition’s main objective is to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the next election.
He disclosed this in an interview with Tribune, where he also discussed the PRP’s preparations for the presidential and governorship elections, the proposed opposition alliance, campaign strategy, insecurity and the state of the Nigerian economy.
According to the PRP chairman, his party is already preparing its campaign structure and is studying the political environment ahead of the elections.
He said the nature of the 2027 campaign would be affected by security concerns, access to resources and the ability of political parties to reach voters across the country.
Baba-Ahmed said the traditional style of holding large political rallies may become more difficult in some parts of Nigeria because of insecurity and the possibility of violence.
He also alleged that money would play a major role in the election, claiming that wealthy political parties could have an advantage in mobilising voters and running campaigns.
“We’re as ready as we can be. We are fine-tuning our campaign strategy. One thing Nigerians need to recognise is that the 2027 campaigns are going to look unlike anything else.”
He further claimed that the PRP does not have the financial resources available to the APC but would rely on its political structure, candidates and relationship with other opposition parties.
The chairman said the party was confident in the quality of its candidates and believed its participation in the broader opposition arrangement could strengthen its position ahead of the polls.
Politics Nigeria earlier reported that G100 has been holding consultations with several opposition parties, including the ADC, NDC, PRP, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), as part of efforts to encourage cooperation among opposition groups.
The proposed arrangement has, however, faced questions over how the different presidential ambitions and party interests would eventually be reconciled.
Baba-Ahmed said the PRP had not ruled out any option in the discussions.
He was asked whether the party could eventually ask its candidate to step down for either former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi if that would produce a single opposition candidate.
The PRP chairman said no decision had been taken on the matter.
“All our options are on the table. All options.”
He explained that a coalition was essentially a mechanism for political parties to work together and that the parties involved would have to negotiate the best arrangement.
According to him, the fact that different parties already have candidates could also affect the negotiations.
“We are looking at the law, we are looking at the limitations in which the fact that all parties already have candidates, we are looking at how that limits our chances.”
Baba-Ahmed nevertheless maintained that cooperation among the opposition parties was preferable to the parties contesting separately.
The issue of a single opposition candidate has remained one of the major subjects in the coalition discussions.
The NDC, for instance, has previously maintained that it supports cooperation with other opposition groups but remains committed to its own presidential ticket.
Its national leader, Seriake Dickson, said in September that the party would continue into the election as the NDC while remaining open to cooperation with other parties.
The PRP chairman said discussions with other parties and political leaders were continuing.
He added that the coalition had already begun consultations and that the reception from some political actors had encouraged the parties involved to continue with the process.
Baba-Ahmed was also asked about the PRP’s presidential campaign council.
He said the party would announce its council soon, stressing that the party was more interested in assembling a structure capable of communicating its political message than simply matching other parties in the timing of campaign council announcements.
“We will announce ours soon. There’s no magic to this. It’s not a timing thing.”
He said the proposed campaign council would focus on issues including poverty, corruption, insecurity, national divisions and the future of young Nigerians.
According to him, the PRP wants its campaign to explain what it stands for and what it intends to do if given the opportunity to participate in government.
“We have messages to send out. We are not just looking for offices. We are a party based on an ideology.”
Baba-Ahmed also criticised the Tinubu administration over what he described as worsening economic and security conditions.
He cited reports of kidnappings and killings across the country and questioned the level of direct engagement between the presidency and communities affected by insecurity.
The PRP chairman argued that the federal government should demonstrate greater concern for communities affected by attacks and abductions.
He also criticised President Tinubu’s foreign trips while insecurity continues to affect parts of Nigeria.
“If our people die in the hands of kidnappers, or they are abducted and it takes weeks or months and our President is busy junketing across the world and our President is not running the country from outside Nigeria, what does he say about this country?”
Baba-Ahmed said the PRP believes the 2027 election should provide Nigerians with an opportunity to decide whether the APC should remain in power.
“We voted Tinubu in good faith. He has let us down. He has let the country down. He has let the poor down.”
He also claimed that Nigerians were facing increased economic hardship and insecurity under the current administration.
