Former presidential adviser Akin Osuntokun has predicted that President Bola Tinubu could perform better in Northern Nigeria than many of his critics anticipate ahead of the 2027 general election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Osuntokun argued that despite growing concerns over insecurity, economic hardship and the President’s perceived decline in popularity, Tinubu remains competitive in several northern states.

The Director of Politics at Arise News made the assessment during an interview on the television station on Monday, while examining regional voting patterns and the electoral prospects of major contenders in the forthcoming presidential election.

According to him, the performance of the leading candidates across the North suggests that the political situation may not be as unfavourable to Tinubu as some observers have predicted.

“Looking at all the three candidates, they’re relatively doing well in the North, I can’t see any surprise. The only aspect of it that I’m surprised at is that the president is fairly competitive in the North, at least against the background of the kind of aggressive posturing and saying it won’t get anything there,” he said.

Osuntokun added that the electoral picture indicated that Tinubu could secure considerable support in the region, contrary to claims that voters in the North had broadly rejected his administration.

He noted that, among the three presidential contenders under consideration, Tinubu appeared to have reasons to be optimistic about his electoral prospects based on the voting patterns being analysed.

The political analyst identified Borno, Kwara and Kogi states as areas where Tinubu could emerge victorious, while describing the contest in several other northern states as competitive.

“He’s even trending as a winner in Borno State. Borno State, Kwara, and Kogi State, and in almost nine or 12, or let’s say the nine other states, it’s competitive,” Osuntokun stated.

He further suggested that the President could improve on his performance in some parts of the country where he failed to secure as many votes as expected during the 2023 presidential election.

Osuntokun specifically highlighted Lagos State as an important electoral battleground where Tinubu could record a stronger showing in 2027, noting that the state’s substantial voting population could significantly influence the overall outcome.

“So, for me, I think he did fairly well. And this time around, he will probably get more votes from certain areas that he didn’t get that kind of sufficient votes in the 2023 election. So, he’s going to do much, much better, you know, in Lagos State this time around, and the votes in Lagos are quite substantial,” he said.

Although he acknowledged that insecurity and economic hardship remained major challenges confronting the Tinubu administration, Osuntokun maintained that the emerging electoral trends suggested the President could still attract significant support despite public concerns over these issues.

“The insecurity and all whatever, hardship and things like that, but that it is there, and yet you are getting this kind of trend there,” he added.

His assessment comes as political parties and presidential contenders continue positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election, with regional voting patterns expected to play a crucial role in determining the outcome.

Former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, has reconciled with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Sharafadeen Alli, and pledged to support his ambition to become governor in the 2027 election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Political commentator Isaac Fayose has alleged that the 2027 general election could mark the first time since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will be absent from the ballot.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Fayose made the claim during an appearance on News Central Television, where he discussed what he described as attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to intimidate opposition figures and restrict their political activities.

He attributed the alleged hostility towards opposition parties to the APC-led government’s inability to present convincing achievements to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.

The commentator, who is the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, expressed disappointment with the current administration, comparing it unfavourably with the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking on the programme, he said the situation under President Bola Tinubu was worse than what Nigerians experienced during Buhari’s administration.

“Before, we thought that Buhari was shege, but this one is shege pro-max. This is the first time since 1999 that PDP will not be on the ballot,” he said.

Fayose claimed that opposition figures had been raising concerns about alleged efforts by the APC government to weaken opposition parties over the past three years.

He also questioned Tinubu’s readiness to campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election, alleging that the President was avoiding direct engagement with Nigerians because of the administration’s performance.

According to him, the government’s reluctance to allow opposition parties to campaign freely was connected to its inability to demonstrate tangible achievements.

“We have been shouting for the past three years that the APC government wants to kill the opposition. You can see what is happening now. Our president cannot even campaign because he is avoiding facing Nigerians,” he stated.

Fayose further alleged that Tinubu was unwilling to embark on campaign activities because he lacked the strength to face the electorate, while simultaneously attempting to prevent opposition politicians from reaching voters.

He cited alleged restrictions on opposition campaign activities in Benue and Akwa Ibom states as examples of what he described as the suppression of political opposition.

“Peter Obi was in Benue, they refused to let him enter the city. The other day, we were in Akwa Ibom and we were not allowed to campaign. They don’t have anything to offer,” he added.

The commentator also criticised the President for allegedly failing to participate in campaign activities while seeking re-election, arguing that the situation was unprecedented in Nigeria’s democratic history.

In addition, Fayose described Tinubu’s administration as the worst in the country’s history, claiming that a significant proportion of Nigerians had been suffering since the government assumed office.

“This is the worst government in the history of our country. You don’t even need to ask me, go to the street and ask,” he said.

He further claimed that more than 67 per cent of Nigerians had been expressing dissatisfaction with the administration since it came to power.

However, the allegations and assessments expressed by Fayose reflect his personal views on the Tinubu administration and the political climate ahead of the 2027 general election.