On May 31, 2025, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar attended a thought-provoking birthday lecture titled "Weaponization of Poverty as a Means of Underdevelopment: A Case Study of Nigeria," held in honor of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s 60th birthday at the Abuja Continental Hotel. Atiku, joined by other prominent Nigerian political figures, described the event as a significant platform addressing critical national issues. The lecture underscored Amaechi’s enduring influence as a statesman, with Atiku previously praising his contributions to Nigeria’s development, noting his "cape of excellence in public service" during a congratulatory message on May 27, 2025.
The event coincided with ongoing political realignments, as Atiku, Amaechi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and other opposition leaders participated in a closed-door meeting organized by the National Political Consultative Group (North) on May 25, 2025, at the same venue. This meeting, aimed at forming a unified opposition coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections, was briefly disrupted by Jigawa State delegates over representation disputes but was later resolved. Discussions focused on pressing issues like poverty, insecurity, and governance failures, particularly in northern Nigeria, with Amaechi and Obi criticizing the Tinubu administration for exacerbating these challenges.
Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation and two-term Rivers State governor, remains a pivotal figure in Nigeria’s political landscape. His birthday lecture and the coalition talks signal intensifying efforts to forge a broad-based opposition, with northern leaders and southern allies exploring platforms like the Social Democratic Party (SDP) or African Democratic Congress (ADC) for 2027. While no official communiqué has been released from the lecture, the event and surrounding discussions highlight the growing momentum for political realignment in Nigeria.