National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said President Bola Tinubu would lose the 2027 general election if the poll is conducted credibly, freely and fairly.
Baba-Ahmed made the statement on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Wednesday, while discussing the political implications of the recent Osun State governorship election.
He said Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory demonstrated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could be defeated despite its control of the Federal Government and significant political structures across the country.
Baba-Ahmed pointed to the APC’s control of the National Assembly and 31 state governments, but argued that the party’s political strength does not automatically guarantee electoral victory.
He said Adeleke’s victory was particularly significant because, in his view, the opposition parties in Osun competed against one another rather than forming a coordinated coalition against the APC, yet the ruling party was still defeated.
“APC was trounced in Osun. We didn’t even see a coalition or collaboration or a gang-up against the APC. Parties all competed against one another. Yet, APC was defeated,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed also dismissed claims of a possible political deal between Tinubu and Adeleke, saying he believed the Accord Party defeated the APC through the votes cast in the election.
He argued that the outcome could be replicated at the national level in 2027.
‘APC Is a Monster Eating Itself’
The PRP chairman described the APC as a party struggling with internal problems despite its political dominance.
“APC is not a party. It is a monster eating itself up and eating everybody up,” he said.
He also criticised what he described as the concentration of political power around Tinubu, arguing that the President has significant influence over the government, governors and the National Assembly but remains politically uneasy.
According to Baba-Ahmed, the President has the support of 31 governors and potentially about 75 percent of the National Assembly, yet the political situation remains uncertain.
“You have a president who believes he must have all the power around him. He appears to have garnered the support of 31 governors and quite possibly about 75 per cent of the National Assembly, yet he’s still uncomfortable. It’s politically monstrous,” he said.
‘Tinubu Will Lose Before 4pm’
Baba-Ahmed said he was confident that Tinubu would be defeated if the 2027 election meets the standards of a credible and transparent poll.
“If it’s a credible, free and fair election, I assure you, Tinubu will lose. I won’t say before 12 noon. Maybe before 4 pm,” he said.
He also cautioned against prematurely praising the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the commission’s credibility would ultimately depend on how it conducts an election in which the incumbent President is a candidate.
“Nobody should praise INEC until it can actually conduct an election in which the President is a contestant,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He expressed hope that the 2027 election would be free, fair and credible, warning that failure to achieve this could pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“If it’s not, I foresee a very serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
Source: Channels Television
