Nigeria’s early manoeuvring for the 2027 presidential election is already reshaping alliances across party lines. A senior federal appointee has now openly appealed to opposition figures in Benue State to support President Bola Tinubu for another term, signalling how political calculations are evolving years before the next national vote.

The call, made by Pius Akutah, places Samuel Ortom and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party at the centre of an increasingly complex political conversation in the North-Central region.

Akutah, who heads the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, urged leaders of the PDP in Benue to rally behind Tinubu’s potential re-election bid in 2027.

The appeal was made during a visit to the residence of former governor Ortom, where party stakeholders had gathered for an expanded caucus meeting.
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According to a statement issued by Akutah’s media aide, Solomon Amande, the visit was intended to identify with PDP leaders who have already shown support for the administration of Tinubu and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

“I came personally to appeal to respected leaders and members of the PDP to adopt President Tinubu as their candidate in the 2027 presidential election,” Akutah reportedly told the gathering.

He also praised Ortom’s leadership during his tenure as governor, describing him as a political figure who defended Benue’s interests and promoted partnerships to address development and security challenges.

While several Nigerian media outlets reported the remarks largely as a straightforward political appeal, the broader context reveals deeper strategic calculations already underway ahead of 2027.

Akutah has repeatedly mobilised support for Tinubu in different political and civic forums, particularly among Benue communities. Similar appeals surfaced months earlier when he urged citizens in Kaduna and other locations to back Tinubu’s reform agenda and eventual re-election bid.

At the same time, the Shippers’ Council chief has also faced growing pressure from supporters urging him to run for governor of Benue State in 2027 — a factor that adds another layer to his increasing political visibility.

That dual dynamic — backing a presidential candidate while being floated for a governorship race — suggests that the emerging alliances may be as much about state-level power as national politics.

The appeal also intersects with the complicated stance of former governor Ortom, a senior PDP figure who has previously expressed support for the principle of a southern presidency in Nigeria’s power-rotation arrangement.

Ortom has publicly argued that the presidency should remain in the South after the 2023 election cycle, a position that theoretically aligns with Tinubu’s potential re-election bid.

However, he has simultaneously reaffirmed loyalty to the PDP and insisted the party can regain political ground in Benue ahead of the next elections.

This leaves the state’s political landscape in a delicate position: a PDP stronghold where internal debates about zoning, alliances, and electoral strategy are already underway.

Nigeria’s presidential race is still years away, yet the early mobilisation reflects how political actors are positioning themselves ahead of time.

Federal appointees, regional leaders and party stakeholders have increasingly used public engagements, community visits and caucus meetings to test alliances and build influence.

In states like Benue — where politics often blends local power struggles with national alignment — such moves can reshape party loyalty, especially if influential figures begin to openly support candidates outside their traditional political platforms.