The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, stated on Tuesday in Abuja that the upcoming 2027 presidential election will be the easiest contest for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the opposition in Nigeria as "crippled and depleted."
Responding to questions on the just concluded Osun State Governorship election during a press briefing, Wike argued that the current administration deserves credit for allowing democratic processes to run naturally without undue interference.
"When they lose, they claim the government manipulated the process; when they win, they show off their might. It does not work that way.
"From what I have seen, this government allows processes to run their own way, and they must be given credit for that," Wike said.
Dismissing the insinuation that federal might was deployed in support of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Osun State election, the FCT Minister said those saying that had not experienced federal might in an election.
He said; "They don't know what federal might is. I think they should come and ask people like us who faced federal might in 2019. In Rivers State, in 2019, we saw what is called federal might. We saw soldiers taking over everywhere. Did anything like that happen in Osun State?
Reflecting on past elections, the Minister contrasted the current political climate with the 2023 general election, which he described as stressful and uncertain for the incumbent president."
On the 2027 presidentialelection, Wike said; "2023 was a tough election for him. "Nobody knew what the government at the time was trying to do, and even governors were afraid.
"But 2027 will be different. To remove a government, you need a strong, vibrant opposition that has spent over four years planning not one that is constantly looking for a party to join."
Wike criticized opposition candidates and parties, specifically targeting the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and past PDP presidential contenders, pointing out their internal divisions and poor performances in recent governorship polls.
He cited the influence of the G5 Governors in the 2023 election, noting that without such support, opposition figures stand little chance in national contests.
"Governorship elections rely on local variables, but a national election is a completely different ballgame.
"If it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, forget it. It’s over", he stated.
Addressing public discontent over the economy, the minister urged Nigerians to evaluate leadership based on actionable steps taken to address challenges rather than emotional sentiments.
"Leadership is defined by the steps you take to solve problems,"
"When someone identifies a problem and takes concrete action to fix it, that is the effort people should appreciate," Wike concluded.
