ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lere Olayinka, has said President Bola Tinubu is likely to face a less difficult presidential contest in 2027 than he did in 2023, largely because of his political alliances and the weakening of opposition mobilisation.
Olayinka, who spoke on TVC Breakfast on Monday, argued that Tinubu’s strategy of bringing influential politicians from across party lines into his administration had significantly altered the political landscape ahead of the 2027 election.
According to him, the president’s ability to build relationships with prominent opposition figures has reduced the strength that could otherwise have been deployed against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
“The reason this election of 2027 will be a one-way election is because of the performance of the president in terms of national development and his performance in terms of politics, because this election is going to be the easiest,” Olayinka said.
He maintained that Tinubu would have an easier presidential race in 2027 than he did four years earlier.
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“It will be much easier for the president than the 2023 election. That is a fact that most people are not willing to accept,” he added.
Olayinka cited the continued relationship between Tinubu and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as one of the major factors that, in his view, could work in the president’s favour.
Although Wike remains a member of the PDP, he has been part of the Tinubu administration since 2023.
Olayinka argued that Wike’s political influence could have strengthened the PDP’s mobilisation ahead of the 2027 election if he had remained fully aligned with the opposition party.
“If Wike was not working with the president, probably he would have been galvanizing more support for the PDP. Now he is not. The president has been able to bring him and other people to himself,” he said.
The PDP chieftain also drew attention to the possible impact of opposition politicians backing presidential candidates outside their own parties.
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He specifically mentioned Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, while highlighting the implications of the current political alignments.
“Imagine Alex Otti also pushing Labour Party presidential candidate. Imagine Adeleke pushing Accord Party presidential candidate. Imagine Wike is pushing that of PDP,” Olayinka said.
He argued that such competing political interests could make it difficult for the opposition to present a united front against Tinubu in 2027.
Olayinka further credited Tinubu’s willingness to work with politicians from different political backgrounds with making both governance and his political calculations easier.
“By being open, by bringing people to himself, he (Tinubu) has been able to make governance easier. He has also been able to make politics easier for himself,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to recognise what he described as Wike’s support for the Tinubu administration, despite the minister’s continued membership of the opposition PDP.