By Clement Abayomi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s supporters are teeming with preparations as Nigeria edges close(r) to the 2027 general elections. They are mobilising across geopolitical zones, exuding a great deal of confidence in Tinubu’s re-election chances and the continued dominance of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). Interestingly, fom Kano to Awka, Abuja to local communities, Tinubu’s followers trust in his leadership and view his “Renewed Hope” platform as a vow, and of course a promise, worth fighting for.
Recently in an interview on Channels Television, Laolu Akande, former president aide, showed some level of optimism in Tinubu’s re-election, claiming that the governing All Progressive Congress (APC) still runs far better than its opponents. Acording to him, the opposition has no distinct or clear-cut political organisation. He therefore maintained that the aim of the opposition appears to be only removing President Tinubu without providing fresh or alternative ideas. In his opinion, the “APC has better arrangements”.
For supporters of Tinubu, the weakness in the opposition party, precisely Obi’s Labour Party, is a strategic edge, an advantage which, they believe, speaks to the victory of Tinubu in two years’ time. Akande, demonstrating his optimistic mindset towards the APC, referenced the disconnect between Datti Baba-Ahmed and Peter Obi as evidence of a larger leadership void in the opposition party.
Moreover, the South East, originally a difficult area for the APC, has been observed to start aligning with Tinubu. Recently, the South East Progressive Ambassadors (SEPA), a coalition of young professionals, announced their backing of Tinubu’s 2027 campaign. This is a new development worthy of note and attention. The SEPA convener, known as John Ikeotuonye, noted that President Tinubu has exhibited tremendous bravery in tackling problems including local government responsibility and fund diversion. In fact, inclusive governance was said to be evidenced by the creation of the South East Development Commission and important Igbo appointments. This, according to the SEPA, reflects Tinubu’s seriousness about inclusive governance. The SEPA’s secretary, Dr. Justin Nwankwo, also noted that political engagement is crucial and remaining on the sidelines would be imprudent for the South East. He therefore urged his audience to consider forming strategic relationships.
It should be remarked that even after the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje, APC National Chairman, Tinubu still had strong support in Kano. Leader of the APC Promoters Group, Abdullahi Maiturare, predicted that Tinubu would get 100% Kano votes in 2027. Maiturare told party stakeholders that the voters are with them, not with Ganduje. And he declared that Tinubu’s performance will pave the path in 2027, because, in his opinion, Tinubu’s work is louder than opposing tactics.
Also, the APC stakeholders are rallying behind Tinubu in the North-Central region. The APC Unity Forum advocated for Dr. Amos Gizo from Plateau State as Ganduje’s replacement and urged for more internal cohesion before the elections in 2027. A spokesperson stated that they hope the National Working Committee will endorse Dr. Gizo and assist the party in becoming united. The North-Central APC Forum led by Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga also reconfirmed full support for Tinubu, calling him the only candidate and promising more than six million votes from the area.
Tinubu’s supporters lay emphasise
Tinubu’s followers also emphasise his capacity as a stabiliser in highly-charged political circumstances. One of the most noteworthy instances is the reconciliation he brokered between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. A Rivers-based supporter has tagged such intervention as a manifestation of leadership. The supporter said, “He didn’t just calm a storm; he potentially saved a governorship”. Such an action, the followers claim, consolidate Tinubu’s reputation as a unifier able to negotiate Nigeria’s political challenge.
Though Tinubu’s supporters recognise the necessity of more powerful communication and internal unity, they remain hopeful. Many think the forthcoming APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings will help set the party’s course anew. As Akande stressed, they “desire issue-driven politics” and critical discussions about poverty, corruption, and reforms, not about personalities.
The South East Progressive Ambassadors declared: “2027 must not catch us unprepared. We are ready to rise, reconcile, and rebuild.”
Tinubu’s supporters thus believe that the next two years are not just about campaigning or winning an election. It’s about defending a vision and supporting progress.
Reacting, a political analyst, Sunday Bisu, said politics couldn’t be decided by people’s feelings.
He added that it’s clearly a strategic game.
Bisu noted, “The APC has continuously shown how strategic it’s as a political party rendering its opposition parties useless.’
The analyst further explained that the new coalition party, All Democratic Congress had put the APC to race, showing itself as a strong opposition party in the coming election.
He said, “The 2027 election will be very hard. People should watch out as ADC isn’t there to play. The PDP may find it difficult to resurrect as a result of the party’s internal conflict.”
