By ThePreview Team

 

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said President Bola Tinubu will defeat former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, even if the two opposition figures unite.

Mr Fayose, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday, said the opposition would face a greater challenge if Mr Atiku and Mr Obi contested separately.

“A three-way horse, maybe I am not putting it right. Atiku is there, Obi is there. Even if they come together, this man will still defeat them. But let us say they don’t come together; too bad for them because this election will be balkanised,” he said.

He predicted that the South-west would give Mr Tinubu a margin of at least six million votes.

Mr Fayose said he had no personal disagreement with either Mr Atiku or Mr Obi but argued that political realities ahead of 2027 would make it difficult for either of them to defeat the president.

He said a contest involving Mr Atiku, Mr Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso would split votes across the country, similar to the pattern seen in the 2023 election.

Mr Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election with 8.7 million votes, ahead of Mr Atiku who polled 6.9 million votes and Mr Obi who scored 6.1 million votes.

‘South must do eight years’

The former governor argued that the presidency should remain in the South for eight years before power returns to the North.

“The reality today is this power is coming to the South; the South must do eight years,” he added.

He described Mr Tinubu as the “shortest point” through which power could return to the North after the current administration.

“If an Atiku comes in, he will be struggling to do eight years; if Obi comes in, he will want to say I will do eight years.

“May I say to you respectfully, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the shortest point to power going back to the North. Any Northerner contesting now is just contesting,” he stated.

12 million votes prediction

Mr Fayose, who was recently appointed chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) board by Mr Tinubu, said he was confident the president would secure at least 12 million votes in 2027.

“Unfortunately, you are not a politician. I am analysing based on my experience. You brought me to this place because you know that I knew a little about Nigeria. This politics is not a tea party,” he said.

He also argued that electoral manipulation had become more difficult.

“To rig an election now is very, very difficult,” he said.

Economy, infrastructure

Mr Fayose attributed his prediction partly to what he described as improvements in the economy and infrastructure under Mr Tinubu.

He said the president inherited an economy that was in a critical condition after the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari but had stabilised.

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“The president had stabilised an economy that was in a critical situation after the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

He cited the unification of the foreign exchange market, which he said had made it easier for businesses to plan, as well as the student loan scheme and road projects.

He acknowledged that some Nigerians would disagree with his assessment of the administration’s performance, particularly on the economy and infrastructure.

Mr Fayose remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but is serving in the APC-led federal government.

He was one of the supporters of the five PDP governors known as the G5 who opposed Mr Atiku’s presidential bid ahead of the 2023 election.

His appointment to the REA board has drawn criticism from opposition figures who have questioned his support for the president. Mr Fayose has described his position as a product of political experience and political realism.