Tinubu ready for 2027 election, APC chairman brushes off health worries

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, said President Bola Tinubu is ready to run for re-election in 2027. He dismissed concerns about the President’s health.

Yilwatda spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.

He warned people not to see isolated criticism of Tinubu as proof of broad opposition to his government.

Tinubu was elected in February 2023, winning 8,794,726 votes against Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, who got 6,984,520 votes.

He took the oath of office on May 29, 2023, and is aiming for another four-year term in the 2027 election.

On the debate about the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, Yilwatda said Christians involved with the party were okay with the setup.

This ticket paired Tinubu with fellow Muslim Kashim Shettima. It faced criticism from some Christian groups and political figures during the 2023 election.

Critics raised concerns about religious representation and the lack of Christians in the top two spots on the ticket.

Regarding Tinubu's absence from some campaign events, the APC chairman explained that the President has constitutional duties that prevent him from attending every political event.

He mentioned that some government officials were encouraged to join selected rallies to make sure official work was not disrupted by campaign activities.

Yilwatda stated that Tinubu’s choice not to attend all rallies should not be seen as a sign of weakness or inability to lead the party’s campaign.

The APC chairman defended the Muslim-Muslim ticket of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. He rejected claims that this setup has left Christians out under the current government.

He said that Christians consulted by the party showed satisfaction with the ticket. He added that their worries about being excluded from government had not come true.

“Most Christians that we’ve engaged and we’ve spoken to them, they are very okay with the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“The thought and most Christians feared that the Muslim-Muslim ticket may suppress their voices, but their voices are heard loud and clear now,” he said.

He also argued that Christians have not faced mistreatment because of Tinubu’s religion during his three years in office.

On the leadership struggle in the African Democratic Congress after a Federal High Court ruling that invalidated the David Mark-led leadership, Yilwatda denied claims that the APC was behind the party’s problems.

He questioned why the opposition party would blame the ruling party for a legal issue started by one of its members.

When asked if he was happy about the ADC’s leadership issues, the APC chairman said he was not concerned about it.

Yilwatda expressed confidence that Tinubu would beat former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a fair election in 2027.

He said Atiku’s success in the 2023 presidential election was mainly due to the Peoples Democratic Party's structure, not his personal appeal.

“He did not win because of Atiku; he won because of the structure of the PDP. It was the PDP that brought Atiku, not Atiku winning on his own,” he said.

On reports of election-related violence, Yilwatda stated that the APC supports fair elections and sympathizes with victims of such attacks. He distanced the party from blame for these events.

“If anybody is injured by anybody across the country, I’m sure it shouldn’t be by APC supporters. I pity anybody who is being injured, and I sympathise with them. Our party stands for free and fair elections,” he said.

The APC chairman also defended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his plan to offer ₦10m to councils that deliver their wards for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Yilwatda insisted that the offer does not mean vote buying.