2027: Tinubu Will Lose By 4pm in Free, Fair Election — Baba-Ahmed

The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has predicted that President Bola Tinubu will lose the 2027 presidential election if the exercise is conducted freely, fairly and credibly.

Baba-Ahmed made the prediction during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, saying the President could be defeated before 4 pm on election day.

“If it is a credible, free and fair election, I assure you Tinubu will lose. I won’t say before 12 noon, maybe before 4 p.m.,” he said.

The PRP chairman said the credibility of the 2027 election would be critical to the survival of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that denying voters a free opportunity to express their choices could heighten public anger.

“If it is not (credible), I foresee a very serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed maintained that the opposition could dislodge the All Progressives Congress, APC, from power in 2027, although he acknowledged the strength and influence of the ruling party.

He cited the recent Osun State governorship election, where Governor Ademola Adeleke secured re-election on the platform of the Accord Party after defeating the APC candidate, as evidence that the ruling party could be defeated despite its political influence.

According to him, defeating Tinubu at the national level would be difficult because of the President’s extensive political control, including strong support from state governors and lawmakers.

Baba-Ahmed described the APC as a powerful political force, claiming that the party controls about 31 governors and roughly 75 per cent of the National Assembly.

He, however, argued that the concentration of political power would not necessarily guarantee victory for the President in 2027.

“APC is a monster eating itself up and eating everybody up. You have a party that has a president that is quite possibly the most powerful president who has been given by the people around him the most awesome powers to do anything he wants to do, including the National Assembly.

“You have the president who believes he must have all the power around him, and he appears to have garnered 31 governors and quite possibly about 75 per cent of the national assembly around him in his party, and he is still living in fear that it is not enough,” he said.

The PRP chairman also criticised Tinubu’s recent defence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, against allegations of bias.

He argued that the electoral commission should be judged by the conduct and credibility of elections, particularly elections in which the incumbent President is a candidate.