With just two months left before Nigerians head to the polls, political realignment is gathering pace as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde have reached compromises to seal a strategic alliance ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.

Sources close to both camps confirmed that representatives of Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flagbearer, and Makinde, who is running on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), have held a series of physical and virtual meetings in recent weeks. Those familiar with the talks say key compromises have already been reached, with plans underway to formally unveil the partnership soon.

Unlike broader, sluggish coalition talks among fragmented opposition parties, the negotiations between Atiku and Makinde are described as direct, focused, and separate from wider multi-party consultations.

Makinde, who has emerged as a fierce critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, previously attempted to rally opposition forces at an April 25 summit in Ibadan, where leaders floated the idea of fielding a single consensus candidate against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). That broader effort stalled as Atiku, Makinde, and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate Peter Obi all pressed ahead with their individual presidential bids.

However, speaking during an interview on Arise News on Friday, Makinde confirmed that behind-the-scenes engagements with Atiku and Obi are far from over.

Related Stories

“Depending on what we see between now and the election time, we may be rivals; we may be collaborators. One may be the client of the other,” the governor remarked, leaving the door wide open for a last-minute political pact.

Insiders within both the ADC and APM suggest that a deal between Atiku and Makinde is now the most advanced of the ongoing talks. A South-West ADC chieftain, who requested anonymity, described the recent discussions as “fresh, purposeful, and promising.” When pressed on when the pact would be announced, the chieftain quipped via text message, “before January 16,” punctuating the remark with a laughing emoji.

An APM candidate privy to Makinde’s political strategy echoed that optimism, noting that both camps have found common ground after weeks of intensive dialogue and are preparing to make their agreement public.

While neither camp has disclosed the exact terms of the arrangement—or how they intend to resolve the thorny issue of the presidential ticket—official spokespersons confirmed that high-level consultations are active.

Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, noted that Makinde is engaging with seasoned politicians who understand the urgency of confronting the economic hardship facing Nigerians. According to Oyelade, the governor is willing to work directly with other opposition blocs as long as the partnership offers a realistic path to ending what he termed “unequalled sufferings” and “needless” poverty.

Similarly, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, and ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, both affirmed that discussions across opposition lines are ongoing to build a united front capable of offering Nigerians a credible alternative.

Meanwhile, broader coalition efforts—such as those spearheaded by the G-100 pressure group led by former Progressives Governors’ Forum Director-General Salihu Lukman—continue to warn that a divided opposition risks handing President Tinubu an easy path to re-election. As the clock ticks toward January 16, all eyes remain on whether the Atiku-Makinde pact will trigger a wider opposition domino effect.