The Presidency has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is prepared to face any challenge from opposition leaders in the 2027 general election.
In response to critical remarks from political opponents, the Presidency labeled the comments as “distracting” and “Machiavellian,” urging opposition figures to focus on the future.
Leading opposition voices—including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi—were advised to hold off on flexing their political muscles until the next election, signaling that the battle for 2027 is yet to come.
Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications to President Tinubu, challenged them to wait until the next election to test their popularity against the president.
Dare emphasised that the actions of these opposition leaders were premature, urging them to focus on the future rather than prematurely questioning the president’s leadership.
In a post on X, Dare wrote: “While the President was seeking solutions to Nigeria’s energy problems in Dar es Salaam, some ‘wannabes’ were heating up the polity,” Dare added.
“This is 2025, not 2027. Let those who want to test their popularity with Nigerians wait for the next election.”
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Recently, opposition figures Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi have launched sharp criticisms against President Bola Tinubu and his All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration.
At an event in Abuja, Atiku accused the Tinubu-led APC of bribing opposition leaders with N50 million each in a bid to destabilize their ranks. He claimed the money was part of an effort to sow discord among the opposition.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai expressed his disillusionment with the APC, declaring that he no longer recognizes the party due to a lack of internal democracy. He claimed that key party organs, including the National Executive Committee (NEC) and caucus, have not convened in two years.
“I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it’s a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show,” El-Rufai stated.
In a similar vein, Amaechi called for “brutal force” to wrest power from President Tinubu in 2027, asserting that the president would not peacefully relinquish power.
