The Presidency has declared that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi stand no chance of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this assertion during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Thursday, stating that the president’s achievements will secure his victory.
Onanuga dismissed the opposition coalition formed under the African Democratic Congress, saying, “They are free to form alliances, but as far as the APC is concerned, we are not seeing them as any threat… If you merge Peter Obi and Atiku, there is no way the two of them can beat a Bola Tinubu and Shettima ticket. It is going to be impossible.” He criticized the coalition for premature politicking, adding, “They are jumping the gun; it is not yet time for politicking.”
The presidential aide emphasized that Tinubu had no involvement in the ADC’s internal crises, noting, “Tinubu supports freedom of speech and freedom of expression. He doesn’t have any hand in the challenges they are facing in the ADC. He was not even in Nigeria when the internal problems they are facing started.”
Onanuga downplayed Atiku’s political influence, stating, “Atiku has been in the race more than Tinubu and Obi. He has tried several times to become president, but he always fails at the gate.”
He argued that Atiku’s regional appeal had waned, saying, “If you look at the configuration and geography of our country, the last time Atiku came out, he was trying to whip up the sentiment of ‘I’m your son,’ and the South rejected him.”
The presidential adviser also dismissed the notion that Obi’s inclusion in the opposition coalition would significantly boost its chances, remarking, “If you have an Obi that you want to use as your running mate, that fact doesn’t mean you will get the exact votes you would get when he vied for president.”
Onanuga highlighted Tinubu’s northern support base, noting, “Tinubu is doing a lot of good for the North. In terms of appointments, he has appointed people from the North-West and North-East into good positions, and I think in politics, a good turn deserves a response from people who are beneficiaries of Tinubu’s government.”
He concluded by dismissing critics, saying, “There is a lot of noise all over the place, and it doesn’t tally with the reality on the ground. People are benefitting from the Tinubu-led government, and at the right time, Tinubu will tap into that — people under him have enjoyed.”
The statement reinforces the administration’s confidence in Tinubu’s re-election prospects despite growing opposition alliances.