Former Senate President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has asserted that the Nigerian electorate, rather than a select group of governors, will ultimately determine President Bola Tinubu’s political future in the 2027 elections.
Wabara’s comments came in response to the recent endorsement of President Tinubu by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors as their sole candidate for the upcoming presidential race. While he acknowledged the governors’ gesture of granting the President the right of first refusal—which he recognized as a global tradition—he cautioned that being the party’s flag bearer does not guarantee an automatic victory at the polls.
He referenced the 2015 elections, where former President Goodluck Jonathan, despite being the sitting President and the PDP’s candidate, was defeated by the APC’s candidate—highlighting the unpredictable nature of electoral politics.
Wabara urged the APC governors to let President Tinubu’s achievements speak for themselves, emphasizing that it is the Nigerian masses, who are deeply affected by the realities of governance, that will ultimately decide the President’s fate in 2027.
“It’s too early to overheat the polity with talk of the 2027 elections when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to lift the ban on campaigns,” he warned. He advised the APC governors to focus instead on making life more affordable for Nigerians who are enduring hardships resulting from the current administration’s policies.
“I thank APC governors for adhering to the tradition of allowing a first-term President or governor the right of first refusal. However, it’s important to remember that governors do not possess the authority to determine who becomes President in 2027; that power lies with the electorate,” he stated.
Wabara further criticized the APC for fostering a one-party system in Nigeria, warning of the severe implications such a trajectory could have for the country’s democracy.