Keyamo Declares 2027 Polls Tinubu’s Coronation As He Dismisses Obi, Atiku

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has declared that the 2027 presidential election will be “a coronation, not an election” for President Bola Tinubu, as he dismissed the electoral prospects of opposition candidates Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar .

Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, Keyamo expressed confidence that President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) would secure a decisive victory in next year’s general elections . The minister cited recent electoral victories, including the APC’s wins in the Ekiti governorship election and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) elections, as indicators of the party’s enduring popularity .

“I want to make a profound closing statement. Not out of arrogance. Not out of overconfidence. But out of pure demographic calculations. The 2027 election is a coronation, not an election,” Keyamo said .

He specifically questioned the political base of Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, asking, “I’m looking around. Between you and me, where will Obi’s votes come from? I can’t see it” .

When asked whether former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, could pose a threat, Keyamo responded with a dismissive laugh, asking, “Which Atiku? Nightmare who?” .

Keyamo’s comments come amid growing concerns among opposition figures about the fragmented nature of the contest against the ruling party. Salihu Moh Lukman, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, recently warned that continued divisions among opposition leaders could hand President Tinubu and the APC another victory .

Lukman identified Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and Rotimi Amaechi as prominent opposition figures whose individual presidential ambitions could weaken efforts to unseat the ruling party . “Lack of unity among the opposition was largely responsible for the electoral victory of APC. The same reality is manifesting itself again with the same two leading opposition personalities emerging as candidates against President Tinubu,” he said .

The 2027 presidential race is shaping up as a three-horse contest between President Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, reprising the 2023 election dynamics but with all candidates running on different platforms . In the 2023 election, Tinubu won with 8,794,726 votes (37.62%), followed by Atiku with 6,984,520 votes (29.88%), and Obi with 6,101,533 votes (26.10%) .

Keyamo’s assertion of an easy victory is based on what he described as “pure demographic calculations” . However, political analysts note that the outcome remains uncertain. Niyi Aborisade, a governorship aspirant in Oyo State, said there is no clear favourite in the 2027 race, adding that “elections are determined by the people” and that past electoral success is no guarantee of victory .

The opposition faces significant structural challenges. The APC currently controls 31 out of 36 state governorships, 88 out of 108 Senate seats, and 269 out of 360 House of Representatives seats . The party has also consolidated its position in the North-East, with five of the six states in that zone now under APC control .

Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, insisted his principal’s chances have “never been brighter,” pointing to Atiku’s victory in the ADC primary across 30 states and the FCT . Ibe dismissed suggestions that a divided opposition benefits Tinubu, asking, “Where is the pathway for him in the South? Where is the pathway for him in the North?” .

With the election scheduled for January 16, 2027, the political landscape remains fluid, with the possibility of new alliances and realignments that could reshape the contest before election day .