The Presidency has firmly dismissed any possibility of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, made this assertion during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Thursday. According to him, President Tinubu’s record of achievements will serve as a solid foundation for his re-election bid.
Onanuga stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) does not consider the emerging coalition of opposition figures under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to be a serious threat. “They are free to form alliances, but as far as the APC is concerned, we are not seeing them as any threat,” he said.
He further emphasized, “Even if you merge Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, there is no way they can defeat the Tinubu-Shettima ticket. It is going to be impossible.”
Addressing the recent political movements by opposition leaders, Onanuga criticized the coalition for acting prematurely, stating, “They are jumping the gun. It is not yet time for politicking.”
He also dismissed allegations that Tinubu had any involvement in the internal crisis currently facing the ADC. “President Tinubu is a strong supporter of freedom of speech and expression. He wasn’t even in Nigeria when those internal issues within the ADC began,” he explained.
Onanuga questioned the political strength of Atiku and Obi within the context of national appeal. “Atiku has contested more presidential elections than both Tinubu and Obi. He has tried multiple times and has always failed. In the last election, he attempted to play the ‘I am your son’ card to appeal to the South, but it was rejected. As for Peter Obi, putting him on the ticket as a running mate will not guarantee the same votes he received when he ran for president,” he argued.
Highlighting President Tinubu’s inclusive approach to governance, Onanuga pointed out that the North has been well represented in key appointments under his administration. “President Tinubu has done a lot for the North. People from the North-West and North-East have been given strategic positions, and in politics, a good turn deserves a good response,” he stated.
He concluded by saying that while there may be criticism and noise from various quarters, it does not reflect the true picture of what is happening across the country. “Many people are benefiting from Tinubu’s leadership, and when the time is right, he will capitalize on that goodwill. Those who have worked under him have enjoyed the dividends of his governance,” Onanuga added.
