Salihu Tanko Yakasai, a former media aide to ex-Kano State governor and former APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, has identified two senior political figures he believes could pose a serious threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.

Yakasai made the remarks during an interview, where he spoke extensively on internal party politics, opposition coalitions and growing discontent in northern Nigeria.

Atiku and Jonathan seen as major threats

According to Yakasai, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains the strongest potential challenger to Tinubu, particularly if the opposition rallies behind a single candidate, The Cable reported.

“The only way they can come out en masse to vote against Asiwaju is if Atiku is the candidate. He will secure almost all the 19 northern states,” Yakasai said.

He added that another figure capable of unsettling the APC is former President Goodluck Jonathan, should he decide to re-enter the race.

“If he steps into the ring, Goodluck Jonathan will be the best candidate because he will appeal to so many groups. He only has one term,” he stated.

Northern grievances and appointment imbalance

Yakasai argued that dissatisfaction in the North could significantly shape voting behaviour in 2027, claiming that many northerners feel marginalized under the current administration.

“The part of the country that feels neglected and betrayed is the northern part of the country, because they made the president,” he said.

He criticized what he described as an imbalance in federal appointments and project distribution, noting that this sense of exclusion could drive voters away from the APC if a credible alternative emerges.

Opposition unity key to defeating APC

While acknowledging that the ruling party remains formidable, Yakasai stressed that Tinubu is not unbeatable if opposition parties overcome internal divisions.

“From the look of things, nobody can defeat him unless the opposition repeats what the APC did in 2015, rally behind a single candidate,” he said.

He maintained that without unity, even widespread dissatisfaction may not translate into electoral defeat for the APC.

Political realignments ahead of 2027

The former APC aide, who was dismissed from Ganduje’s media team in 2021 after criticising the party’s handling of insecurity, concluded that the next two years would be defined by alliances, defections and strategic positioning.

According to him, the eventual choice of a consensus opposition candidate will determine whether Tinubu and the APC retain power or face a serious challenge in the 2027 presidential election.