Politics
Tinubu tells 2027 rivals: We’ll wrestle ourselves to the finishing line
Tinubu tells 2027 rivals: We’ll wrestle ourselves to the finishing line
President Bola Tinubu has declared that he will not give up power without a political fight ahead of the 2027 presidential election, warning opponents seeking to unseat him to prepare for a tough but fair democratic contest.
The President made the remarks while receiving members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where discussions focused on national development, governance, education, security and the future of the country.
Tinubu, who is seeking re-election in 2027, said political opponents were free to challenge him but should not expect him to make the path to the presidency easy.
“Those who would take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and there is equal opportunity,” the President said.
“I won’t offer them a red carpet. I won’t offer them the leash to tie me at home.
“No, we will wrestle each other to the finishing point. That’s the truth. That is fair in politics.”
The remarks come as political parties and prospective candidates begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) expected to defend its control of the presidency while opposition parties work to strengthen their chances through alliances and political realignments.
Among the prominent opposition figures expected to play major roles in the 2027 contest are Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi, the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Tinubu also defended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against allegations that it favours the ruling party, insisting that the electoral body had remained neutral and had not intimidated political actors.
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“INEC is neutral. They have never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolf, then they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the company they keep,” he said.
The President maintained that Nigeria’s democratic system provides equal opportunities for political parties and candidates to campaign, mobilise supporters and seek the mandate of voters.
He said electoral competition should be conducted within the law and that political disagreements should not undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.
Tinubu also used the meeting to defend the performance of his administration, saying difficult reforms introduced since he assumed office were beginning to produce positive results.
According to him, the government had accepted responsibility for addressing the economic and structural challenges it inherited rather than avoiding difficult decisions.
“This government has stabilised, and there is prosperity on the horizon. The quality of life is improving,” Tinubu said.
“I inherited it. I didn’t run away. I asked for this job. I’m in it.”
The President identified the uninterrupted academic calendar in public universities as one of the achievements of his administration.
He said the absence of prolonged strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had enabled students to complete their academic programmes without the repeated disruptions that affected university education in previous years.
“None of your children in university today, and I would say they are all your children because you are Reverend Fathers, can say a four-year course is not four years,” Tinubu said.
“ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers? To me, that’s an answer.”
Tinubu also addressed the long-standing demand by the Catholic Church for the return of mission schools, explaining that state governments have the authority to decide on the ownership and administration of schools within their jurisdictions.
He recalled that mission schools were returned to their original owners during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and urged the bishops to engage governors across the country on the matter.
“The schools are in the states. Preach to them, the governors of your states. They do the job,” he said.
“There is no need for a constitutional amendment for that. That is part of democracy. Choice.”
On national security and unity, Tinubu acknowledged that Nigeria continued to face significant challenges but expressed confidence that the country could overcome them through cooperation, responsible leadership and a shared commitment to national development.
“The security situation is what it is. We don’t have another country but here,” the President said.
“This Nigeria. And we revert to our national anthem in its complexity and diversity; we shall thrive, live, rejoice and be good to all of us.”
Tinubu said Nigeria’s founding leaders handed down a country that must be strengthened and preserved for future generations.
“Our founding fathers did their best. They left us a nation, and we owe it to our generations yet unborn to build a nation of unity, stability and prosperity for the future,” he added.
The meeting was led by Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso and lasted for about an hour. It provided an opportunity for the Catholic bishops and the President to exchange views on governance, education, security, national cohesion and other issues affecting Nigerians.
Tinubu’s comments are expected to generate fresh political debate as preparations for the 2027 presidential election gather momentum.
While the APC seeks to retain power and secure another term for the President, opposition parties are expected to intensify consultations and political alliances as they work to present a strong challenge in the next election.
Tinubu tells 2027 rivals: We’ll wrestle ourselves to the finishing line
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Politics
2027: Northern Students Back Tinubu, Pledge Campus-to-Campus Mobilisation
2027: Northern Students Back Tinubu, Pledge Campus-to-Campus Mobilisation
Student leaders from tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, promising to mobilise students across campuses in support of his candidacy.
The declaration was made in Kaduna at the inauguration of the Students’ Wing of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a support group created to coordinate student mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The organisers said the students’ position was influenced by policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration, particularly in education, student financing, skills development and youth empowerment.
The coordinator of the A4A Students’ Wing and President of the Bayero University Kano Students’ Union Government, Abdulmudallib Sheriff, said the students’ support was intended to translate into an organised mobilisation network rather than remain a symbolic declaration.
Sheriff cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) among the federal government programmes that informed the students’ position, saying the scheme had provided financial support to students facing difficulties funding their tertiary education.
He also pointed to government initiatives in technical and vocational education, skills acquisition and youth development as areas the student leaders considered relevant to young Nigerians.
According to the organisers, the A4A Students’ Wing plans to build a coordinated structure capable of reaching students in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the northern region.
The Kaduna inauguration was attended by student union leaders and representatives of tertiary institutions from different parts of Northern Nigeria.
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Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, who addressed the gathering, urged the student leaders to base their political engagement on policies and verifiable records rather than personal attacks against political opponents.
Sani highlighted areas including education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture and technical and vocational education, while drawing attention to programmes such as NELFUND and federal TVET initiatives.
The student endorsement comes amid increasing political mobilisation across Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.
Several groups in the region have recently announced support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, including organisations representing Muslim women scholars, preachers and Da’wah leaders. Other groups representing communities and youth interests in the North have also held meetings and launched mobilisation activities ahead of the election.
A separate group representing Igbos living in the 19 northern states and the FCT has also expressed support for Tinubu and pledged to mobilise voters for his re-election.
The growing activity reflects efforts by political support groups to build grassroots structures well ahead of the 2027 poll, with youth and student voters expected to remain an important constituency for political parties and candidates.
The Tinubu administration has made NELFUND one of its prominent education initiatives. The programme provides loans and related financial assistance to eligible Nigerian students in tertiary institutions, with the government presenting it as part of efforts to reduce financial barriers to higher education.
The administration has also promoted technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as part of its broader youth skills-development agenda.
However, the endorsement announced in Kaduna represents the position of the participating student leaders and organisations. It does not necessarily reflect the views of all students, tertiary institutions or young people across Northern Nigeria.
The political development also comes as opposition groups and presidential aspirants intensify their own mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 election.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition political actors are building structures across the country, while presidential contenders, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, are also seeking support ahead of the election.
The student leaders backing Tinubu said their immediate focus would be to extend the A4A Students’ Wing to more campuses and strengthen its mobilisation network across the North.
Their declaration adds to the growing series of political endorsements and campaign activities taking place ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as competing political groups seek to attract young voters and build support at the grassroots.
Ultimately, the endorsement remains a declaration by the participating student organisations, while individual voters will make their choices through the electoral process.
2027: Northern Students Back Tinubu, Pledge Campus-to-Campus Mobilisation
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Politics
2027: Court Gives Atiku Seven Days to Serve Tinubu Through APC in Eligibility Suit
2027: Court Gives Atiku Seven Days to Serve Tinubu Through APC in Eligibility Suit
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar seven days to serve President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a suit challenging his eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order after granting an application for substituted service, allowing Atiku and the ADC to serve the President through his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was instituted by Atiku and the ADC against Tinubu, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Atiku is asking the court to determine whether Tinubu is qualified to participate in the 2027 presidential election based on allegations concerning an NYSC discharge certificate allegedly submitted to INEC.
According to the plaintiffs, the disputed certificate bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, which they contend raises questions about its authenticity and its connection with the President. Atiku’s case also alleges that the document was presented to INEC as genuine and raises questions about information contained in the electoral documents submitted by Tinubu.
The allegations remain claims before the court and have not been established by a final judgment.
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The plaintiffs are relying on provisions of the 1999 Constitution relating to the presentation of forged certificates to INEC. They are seeking, among other reliefs, orders that would prevent Tinubu and the APC from participating in the 2027 presidential election on the basis of the allegations contained in the suit.
The latest ruling followed a procedural dispute over how the President should be served with the court processes.
When the matter came up earlier in September, Atiku’s lawyers told the court that they had been unable to personally serve Tinubu. Although counsel representing Tinubu indicated that he was prepared to accept service on behalf of his client, the plaintiffs declined, saying they wanted to avoid possible technical objections concerning the validity of service at a later stage.
The court subsequently allowed the issue to be addressed through substituted service.
Justice Ekwo had earlier adjourned proceedings to September 28 following the service dispute. The judge also warned lawyers involved in the case against discussing the matter in the traditional or social media, directing that arguments concerning the case should be presented in court.
Meanwhile, Tinubu and the APC have rejected the allegations and asked the Federal High Court to dismiss the suit.
In their response, the President and the APC denied that Tinubu submitted a forged certificate to INEC for either the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections. They also questioned the legal foundation of Atiku and the ADC’s action and raised preliminary objections to the case.
The defendants have argued that the disputed certificate has not been established as forged and that the NYSC has not disowned the document at the centre of the controversy.
They have therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit rather than proceed to the substantive claims.
INEC has also challenged Atiku’s case and opposed aspects of the plaintiffs’ application to amend their suit. The electoral commission has raised procedural and legal objections, including arguments concerning the competence of the action and the plaintiffs’ standing.
The case has consequently developed into a series of preliminary procedural and legal disputes even before the court determines the central allegations surrounding the disputed NYSC certificate.
Atiku and the ADC maintain that the alleged certificate and information submitted to INEC raise constitutional questions concerning Tinubu’s eligibility for the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu and the APC, however, deny the allegations and are seeking the dismissal of the case, while INEC has also opposed the action.
The Federal High Court’s latest decision is limited to the method and timeframe for serving Tinubu with the court processes.
It does not constitute a ruling that Tinubu is ineligible to contest the 2027 election, nor does it establish that the disputed NYSC certificate is forged.
The substantive claims, alongside the objections raised by Tinubu, the APC and INEC, remain before the court for determination.
2027: Court Gives Atiku Seven Days to Serve Tinubu Through APC in Eligibility Suit
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Politics
“Clash of Egos”: Ayo Fayose Downplays Public Feud Between Wike and APC Governors
“Clash of Egos”: Ayo Fayose Downplays Public Feud Between Wike and APC Governors
On Channels Television, the former Ekiti governor says tensions over the ‘Rainbow Coalition’ will not hurt President Tinubu’s 2027 prospects.
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has weighed in on the sharp exchange between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum, characterizing the disagreement as a battle of individual egos rather than a genuine threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Speaking Tuesday night during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Fayose noted that public friction often surfaces when assertive leaders navigate complex multi-party arrangements.
The spat erupted after Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, speaking for the APC Governors’ Forum, announced that party executives would reject any outside alliance or coalition capable of diluting the party’s strength or challenging its candidates in upcoming elections.
Wike responded swiftly during a televised broadcast, describing the governors as politically lazy and clarifying that his “Rainbow Coalition” was created specifically to mobilize cross-party votes for the president rather than fight local battles on behalf of state governors.
Addressing the controversy, Fayose remarked that everyday Nigerians understand Wike’s outspoken personality just as they understand the institutional posture of the Governors’ Forum.
He insisted that the rhetorical crossfire has no direct bearing on the president’s electoral fortunes, observing that political leaders across the spectrum possess strong personal pride that occasionally spills into public view. Fayose maintained that practical grassroots voter mobilization will ultimately outweigh public posturing as the 2027 race draws nearer.
“Clash of Egos”: Ayo Fayose Downplays Public Feud Between Wike and APC Governors
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