Abuja, NIGERIA – Daniel Bwala, a former aide to Atiku Abubakar, has mocked the former Vice President’s latest push for an opposition coalition, declaring that President Bola Tinubu remains far too entrenched to be unseated by “stateless” leaders.
Okay News understands that Bwala’s reaction followed Atiku’s high-profile interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, where the PDP chieftain expressed a rare willingness to serve as a bridge for a consensus candidate. Atiku had suggested that with a unified front, President Tinubu would be “dead on arrival” in the 2027 polls.
Responding via his official social media handle on Thursday, Bwala dismissed the threat with a “Lol,” pointing out the irony in Atiku’s strategy. He reminded the former Vice President that even in 2023—when Atiku commanded a vast network of governors, state structures, and resources—he was still defeated by Tinubu.
“But we know you are the coalition candidate YET (no vex sir), he defeated you in 2023 when you had governors, states, and structures,” Bwala wrote. He further asserted that those very same governors and structures have now shifted their loyalty to the President.
Bwala characterized the current opposition figures as “aggrieved ‘STATELESS’ leaders,” suggesting they lack the grassroots machinery necessary to challenge the incumbency. “I doubt if President Tinubu would bother to check the scoreboard on the day,” he added.
The exchange highlights the deepening rift between Atiku and his former associates as the 2027 political landscape takes shape. While Atiku has signaled a cooperative tone by stating he would “step aside” for a consensus candidate—even specifically mentioning Peter Obi as a possibility—critics like Bwala argue that the opposition’s lack of control over state resources makes any such coalition a marginal threat to the APC’s “Renewed Hope” momentum.
