‘Hope was a fraud’: Atiku’s aide slams Tinubu camp ahead of 2027 showdown

With Nigeria’s 2027 general elections on the horizon, Phrank Shaibu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s special assistant on public communication, has fired a salvo that paints the upcoming polls as a historic clash between what he described as “Urban Bandits” and “Political Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).” In a fiery opinion piece, Shaibu said the 2023 elections were hijacked by political “gangsters in agbada,” who, despite seizing power, failed to win the hearts of Nigerians. “They rigged themselves into office, but not into the hearts of the people,” he wrote, accusing them of replacing “renewed hope” with “renewed hardship.” Arguing that Nigerians now sympathise with the opposition, Shaibu stated: “The Political IDPs are not tainted by this failure. They are seen as the robbed, not the robbers — and in 2027, the robbed will rise with the people behind them.” He pointed to skyrocketing fuel prices, food inflation, and the collapse of the naira as indicators that the current administration has lost public trust. “No amount of propaganda can cover hunger. No PR can spin poverty,” he declared. Fragmentation vs Unity Shaibu claimed the ruling camp is being consumed by internal battles and self-serving appointments, describing the administration as a “house divided against itself.” In contrast, he portrayed the opposition as increasingly united: “From Atiku to Obi, from Rotimi Amaechi to El-Rufai — they are coming together not just to win, but to rescue.” He suggested that the shared “pain and purpose” of the opposition would galvanise a broad coalition ahead of 2027. Highlighting the role of Nigeria’s youth, particularly the #EndSARS-inspired “Sorosoke Generation,” Shaibu said their activism would mature into decisive electoral participation. “The Urban Bandits may have mocked their hashtags, but they will soon learn that hashtags grow into hurricanes,” he said. He also hinted that global sentiment is shifting away from the current administration, citing international embarrassment over gaffes and unanswered questions about President Tinubu’s past. “In private conversations, many [foreign diplomats] now view 2023 as a mistake they hope Nigerians will correct in 2027,” Shaibu alleged. A Call to Arms: ‘The Battle Royale’ In conclusion, Shaibu framed the next election as a national reckoning. “The tables are turning. In 2023, the Urban Bandits outwitted a divided opposition. But in 2027, it is no longer about wits — it is about will,” he warned. “Their pain has become purpose. Their exile has become a weapon. And their hunger—not for power, but for justice—is now shared by millions,” he concluded. Shaibu’s intervention marks an early but emphatic entry into what promises to be a volatile and highly polarised 2027 electoral cycle. Political observers say it reflects growing tension between the current power holders and a re-energised opposition seeking redemption.