FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has declared that President Bola Tinubu faces his easiest presidential election battle in 2027, arguing that Nigeria’s opposition has been weakened by internal divisions.
Wike made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja while responding to questions on the outcome of the recently concluded Osun State governorship election.
The minister dismissed claims that the Federal Government deployed its influence to secure victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, insisting that the Tinubu administration had allowed the electoral process to run without undue interference.
According to Wike, politicians often accuse the government of manipulating elections when they lose but celebrate the same process when they emerge victorious.
He said those alleging that federal might was deployed in Osun had not experienced the scale of interference witnessed during previous elections.
“They don’t know what federal might is. I think they should come and ask people like us who faced federal might in 2019,” Wike said, recalling the situation in Rivers State during the 2019 election.
He argued that the political environment ahead of the 2027 presidential election was different from 2023, when, according to him, the contest was more uncertain for Tinubu.
“2023 was a tough election for him. Nobody knew what the government at the time was trying to do, and even governors were afraid,” he said.
Wike said the opposition would need a strong and well-organised structure to defeat an incumbent president, arguing that the current opposition lacked the capacity to mount such a challenge.
“To remove a government, you need a strong, vibrant opposition that has spent over four years planning, not one that is constantly looking for a party to join,” he said.
The minister also criticised opposition parties and politicians, including those associated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and previous Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaigns.
He maintained that recent governorship contests should not be used as a direct measure of the strength of opposition parties at the national level, noting that local factors often determine state elections.
“Governorship elections rely on local variables, but a national election is a completely different ballgame,” Wike said.
He added, “If it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, forget it. It’s over.”
Wike also pointed to the role played by the G5 governors in the 2023 presidential election, arguing that the support of influential political figures would be crucial in any attempt to defeat an incumbent president.
On concerns over the economy, the minister urged Nigerians to assess the government based on concrete actions taken to address economic challenges rather than emotions.
“Leadership is defined by the steps you take to solve problems,” he said.
He added that leaders who identify problems and take practical measures to address them should be judged on those efforts.
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