The 2027 election is less than two years away, and for the second time in the history of the country, a sitting government is about to be swept away if indices at our disposal are anything to go by.
Since stepping into the ring as president, the Emilokan apostle, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has carried on like an emperor without recourse to the citizens who defied the scorching sun to cast votes many believe he manipulated to emerge. And if the ruling All Progressives Congress APC think the coming election will be a stroll in the park, they might just be in for the surprise of their lives.
They have shot themselves in the foot, paving the way for a nail-biting exercise that will surprise many. For the first time Nigerians will be unanimous and united in one accord to evict a government that has brought unspeakable pain to them right from their first day in office with the removal of subsidy and the institution of unpopular policies that have negatively taken a toll on the economy, forcing prospective businesses to fold up, resulting in job losses and spiraling unemployment while they continue with living larger than life without blinking an eye.
President Tinubu would be counting on his arm-twisting tactics that has seen many governors, senators, federal house of representatives and state houses of Assembly members decamping from their parent parties to pitch tent in the APC, but suffice it to say that that year’s election will go beyond party affiliation as citizens will be searching for who will stand toe-to-toe with the incumbent government irrespective of which party’s flag he will be flying.
A street survey will surprise you as to the level of decadence and widespread poverty in the country, with many who just cannot hang on, forced to take their lives to escape the trauma of life. But the sad thing is that the president and his team move on not caring a hoot how the citizens feel, waiting for the whistle to be blown to get electoral activities underway. What an insensitive government.
While many more governors are expected to defect to the ruling party, the question is: to what extent will this gale of defections help the cause of the All Progressives Congress which has made itself unpopular to the extent that calls for its ouster have been deafening and keep increasing by the day.
But to remove Tinubu, a man with ample cache of financial resources will be a Herculean job but his stiff-necked approach to governance and ethnicity in the distribution of public offices will be his albatross as many regions that feel short-changed have promised to exact from him a pound of flesh. But this is not going to be a tea party as well, as only a formidable candidate with tested pedigree, experience, and financial muscle can out-muscle Tinubu from office.
That is why the proponents of the newly birthed coalition must be intentional, setting aside self-aggrandizement and work for the overall good of the country knowing too well that any crack in their ranks will give Tinubu an unassailable success at a time when they know that the citizens look up to them to rescue them.
It is pleasing that names such as Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Rivers State governor/Minister of Transportation, Peter Obi former Anambra State governor and candidate of the Labour party in the 2023 presidential election are being touted as notable challengers.
Of all those being suggested, only Atiku Abubakar can confidently challenge Tinubu better experience for experience, financial resources for financial resources, connections for connections, and lots more.
Now that Atiku has promised to do a single term and hand over to the SE to produce the next president that is good news for the erstwhile Labour Party candidate or Distinguished Senator Austin Akobundu who can comfortably assume leadership of the country without having to go through stress as they will be riding on the crest of Atiku’s goodwill to the presidency.