Former Senate President and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has dismissed the recent endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election by governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to him, the ultimate decision lies not with a group of governors, but with the Nigerian electorate.
Reacting to media reports that APC governors had adopted Tinubu as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 race, Wabara said that while it is tradition to give an incumbent the right of first refusal, this gesture does not guarantee electoral victory. “I thank APC governors for respecting the age-long tradition of giving a first-time President or governor the right of first refusal. I didn’t expect less,” he noted. “However, governors do not have the mandate to decide who becomes President in 2027. Such right resides with the electorate.”
Citing Jonathan’s 2015 Loss, Wabara Cautions Against Premature Celebrations
Senator Wabara drew parallels with the 2015 general elections when then-President Goodluck Jonathan, despite being the PDP’s sitting President and flag bearer, lost to Muhammadu Buhari of the APC. He cautioned that Tinubu’s endorsement by APC governors should not be misconstrued as a guarantee of electoral success.
“Let us not forget what happened in 2015. President Jonathan was an incumbent and had the full backing of his party, yet he lost to the opposition. The same could happen in 2027 if Nigerians are not satisfied with President Tinubu’s performance,” Wabara warned. He urged the APC to focus on governance rather than elections that are still years away.
APC Should Let Tinubu’s Performance Speak for Him — Wabara
The PDP BoT Chairman emphasized that the true assessment of President Tinubu’s suitability for a second term would come from the masses, who are daily confronted with the consequences of the current administration’s economic and social policies. He advised the ruling party to allow Tinubu’s actions and policies to speak for themselves.
“The Nigerian masses, who on a daily basis feel the impact of the APC-led Federal Government, are the only ones to decide the President’s fate in 2027,” Wabara stated. He criticized the ongoing hardship experienced by many Nigerians, attributing it to what he described as APC’s “maladministration” and “bad economic policies.”
It’s Too Early for 2027 Politics, INEC Hasn’t Lifted the Ban — PDP BoT Chair
Senator Wabara also took issue with what he described as the premature political calculations for the 2027 elections. He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to lift the ban on political campaigns, making the APC governors’ move both untimely and potentially destabilizing.
He said: “It’s too early to overheat the polity with 2027 elections when INEC has not lifted the ban on campaigns. APC governors should rather concentrate on how to make life affordable for Nigerians, who are battling to survive the hardship inflicted on them by APC’s maladministration.” He called on the ruling party to redirect its attention to pressing issues like inflation, food insecurity, and rising unemployment.
Wabara Warns Against One-Party Dominance, Urges Democratic Vigilance
In a broader critique, Wabara accused the APC of attempting to entrench a one-party system in Nigeria, a move he described as dangerous to the country’s democratic development. He warned that such a trajectory could undermine political pluralism and suppress the will of the people.
“The APC is subtly foisting a one-party system on Nigeria, and that’s dangerous. Our democracy thrives on competition and choice, not coercion or imposition,” Wabara declared. He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and not allow any political party to monopolize the democratic space, stressing that the survival of the nation’s democracy depends on active civic engagement and credible electoral processes.
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