Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Dr. Wunmi Bewaji, has dismissed the emerging coalition of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing it as “dead on arrival.”

In an interview, the former lawmaker and legal practitioner criticized the coalition’s credibility and direction, arguing that its members have failed to present any viable alternative to President Bola Tinubu’s policies.

“These are political lightweights pretending to be major players,” Bewaji said. “They are not driven by any clear agenda other than bitterness over losing the last election. If they want to challenge an incumbent president, they must offer policy alternatives. What have they proposed in response to the government’s economic reforms?”

He questioned the coalition’s ability to mobilize public support without policy substance, saying, “None of them has offered any serious plan on issues like exchange rate unification, fuel subsidy removal, or energy reforms. Nigerians can’t take them seriously when they have no agenda beyond opposition for its own sake.”

Bewaji argued that President Tinubu’s administration had made significant strides in stabilizing the economy, citing improvements in GDP growth, foreign reserves, and investor confidence. He also pointed to structural reforms, including student loan schemes and targeted health interventions.

Responding to criticisms that Nigerians are not yet feeling the impact of these reforms, he said economic progress must be judged over time. “No government delivers overnight. What we are witnessing is the laying of a foundation after years of mismanagement,” he said.

On the issue of poverty and rising food prices, Bewaji acknowledged current hardships but insisted that recent interventions, including increased revenue allocations to states and food price stabilization programmes, would yield positive results. He urged state governments to be held more accountable for local development, arguing that the federal government was receiving disproportionate blame.

On insecurity, he denied that the situation was worsening, saying: “There is no widespread kidnapping; what we have are isolated flashpoints like Benue and Plateau. In many cases, political actors and military informants are part of the problem.”

He also alleged that power infrastructure vandalism and other forms of sabotage are being used to discredit the Tinubu administration. “Some of these acts are politically motivated. Just as some governors praised improvements in electricity, we began to see targeted attacks on power infrastructure,” he claimed.

Regarding the long-standing debate on state police, Bewaji said discussions were ongoing between federal and state authorities, stressing the need to resolve concerns around command structures, funding, and the risk of abuse by governors.

He rejected claims that Nigeria is drifting into a one-party state due to opposition defections, arguing that the constitution guarantees a multi-party system and that individuals are free to align politically based on personal or regional interests. “If opposition figures are defecting, it’s often because they see no future in their current parties. You can’t blame the ruling party for that,” he said.

On the National Assembly’s role, Bewaji defended its collaboration with the executive, stating that constructive engagement was vital for governance. “You can’t build anything with constant acrimony. Lawmakers are elected to cooperate with the executive in the national interest, not to obstruct progress,” he said.

As a final note, he advised President Tinubu to remain focused on reform and food security. “Food security is the area the government must now prioritize. It matters more than any other index to the ordinary Nigerian,” he said, urging the continuation of price stabilization efforts and the regulation of food hoarding.