Former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, has issued a stern warning to opposition leaders about President Bola Tinubu's political prowess ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking on Arise Television's Morning Show on Monday, Amadi described President Tinubu as a "master of dark politics" while expressing concerns about the readiness of the opposition coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party's Peter Obi.

Amadi, who also serves as Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, criticized the opposition alliance for being "weak in both strategy and organization" compared to the All Progressives Congress (APC) when it was in opposition before the 2015 elections.

Comparing Past and Present Opposition Strategies

"In 2015, you had a situation where politicians perhaps understood who should go first. It was clear that Buhari had the votes of at least a significant constituency. He always had more than nine million votes in each election he lost, bankable votes," Amadi explained.

He pointed out that the current opposition faces greater challenges than the APC did in 2015: "Jonathan wasn't that intense and didn't play the type of politics that Tinubu, a master of dark politics, does. The PDP took it as, 'Oh, we'll get everything done at the last minute.'"

According to Amadi, the political landscape has changed significantly. "We had a more independent INEC back then. In fact, their body language was even against the ruling government. So, it was a difficult proposition, but the APC managed to overcome it."

Warnings About Government Tactics

The former NERC chairman warned that the current administration is well-versed in political maneuvering: "Now, you have a government that understands the dark arts of politics, and is perhaps proficient and unrestrained in using them. They've learned from their successes and from the PDP's failures."

He predicted increased political interference ahead of 2027: "It's likely that there will be more intrusions into the opposition camp, more betrayals. They're going to plant people."

Opposition Coalition Weaknesses

Amadi highlighted what he sees as fundamental flaws in the current opposition alliance: "What I see is that the level of seriousness the APC had as an opposition, their capacity to engage civil society, infiltrate and manipulate various sectors, and even work the media, is absent now."

He criticized the opposition's apparent lack of unity and purpose: "There's no one leading the movement with the mindset of 'Let's get this government out first.' Everyone seems more focused on personal opportunities, whether it's for now or 2031."

In his final assessment, Amadi concluded: "From a strategic and operational standpoint, the coalition is weak on both fronts. It's far more diverse, diverse in expectations and interests. And crucially, it lacks a unifying ideology. What does it stand for?"

The warning comes as opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and others reportedly work to form a coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.