By Ayo Kehinde
Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, has hinted at the possibility of joining an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu fails to address the country’s mounting challenges.
Ndume, a prominent member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), disclosed that he had already attended several meetings with opposition figures planning to unseat President Tinubu, noting that he would not hesitate to switch camps if things do not improve.
Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, the senator said he still believes in the president’s capacity to deliver on his mandate, but warned that continued underperformance could sink the APC ship which defectors may overwhelm.
Ndume stated: “I’m aware of the opposition coalition. I’ve attended several of their meetings. I still believe this president can fix things, but if he fails, that might force me to move. People are defecting into the party because of the carrot and stick approach of the government. The overloaded ship will sink”
“They have been reaching out to me, but I told them I don’t want to jump from the frying pan into the fire. I have to be sure of where I’m going.
“I believed President Tinubu could be a successful leader—that was my expectation. But if he continues this way, no matter how many people or governors you bring into the party, you’re just endangering the APC and pushing it toward collapse.
“As the president once said, there is a vacancy in the ship. But if you overload it, it will capsize—and if it capsizes, everyone goes down with it.”
Ndume also criticised the lack of ideological commitment among politicians, accusing many of joining parties not based on principles but due to what he described as “indirect stick-and-carrot politics.”
“I feel that when you build a house and it’s leaking, you don’t abandon it—you stay and fix it,” he added
