According to a new report by Vanguard, a senior CAN leader, who spoke in confidence, said the unfolding political moves appeared capable of deepening divisions within the opposition and reshaping voting patterns across the country.
“I’ve never seen politics like this in my life. These are efforts to overheat the system,” he said.
The cleric said there were indications Jonathan may now be willing to return to active presidential politics despite earlier signals that he would not contest again.
“We have also learnt that Jonathan may now come back under the PDP. They want to scatter the opposition vote so that none of the contenders will win again,” he said.
According to him, the entry of multiple strong contenders from different regions could split opposition support in a way that may ultimately favour the ruling party.
“Because if Jonathan carries the South-South, Peter will carry the South-East. Atiku and Kwankwaso will split the North, while Tinubu will carry the South-West and some other states,” he said.
The CAN leader warned that if opposition parties repeat the same pattern seen during the 2023 presidential election, they may again struggle to unseat the ruling party.
“If they go the way they did in 2023, my worry is that the opposition cannot deliver. They cannot deliver,” he said.
He also expressed concern over rising political tension and the possibility of internal conflicts among opposition figures as the race toward 2027 gathers momentum.
“My prayer is that they should not start killing themselves. They should not start killing themselves because, if they do, it is going to be worse.”
Speaking further, the cleric said elections in Nigeria often defy political calculations and predictions.
“And election is like a pregnant woman. You cannot predict it. You just allow the will of God to be done.
“But sometimes, you cannot predict these things. Maybe he has seen his calculations, and they have convinced him beyond reasonable doubt, so he has made up his mind.”