Adolphus Wabara, former Senate President and current Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, says it straight: “only Nigerian voters, and not few governors, will decide the fate of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.”
His response came swiftly after APC governors threw their weight behind Tinubu, naming him the party’s sole candidate for the next presidential race.
Wabara didn’t fault their loyalty. He called it “a global practice and tradition” to offer an incumbent the right of first refusal, a gesture he appreciated.
Still, he issued a clear warning: an automatic ticket doesn’t mean automatic win.
He reminded the APC what happened in 2015. PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan was President and candidate, but lost to the opposition proof that power doesn’t guarantee re-election.
He urged the APC to let President Tinubu’s achievements, not political noise, do the talking.
He pointed out that “the Nigerian masses, who on a daily basis, feel the impact of the APC-led Federal Government,” will cast the real verdict at the ballot box in 2027.
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Wabara also questioned the early 2027 campaign chatter. With INEC yet to lift the campaign ban, he said talk of endorsements only adds heat to an already tense political climate.
Instead of jumping ahead, he advised the APC governors to focus on making life bearable for everyday Nigerians who are struggling to survive under what he called the party’s “maladministration.”
He didn’t hold back: “I thank APC governors for respecting the age-long tradition of giving a first time President or governor the right of first refusal. I didn’t expect less.
“But I would like to remind them that governors do not have the mandate to decide who becomes President in 2027. Such right resides with the electorate.
“I think the APC should rather be preoccupied with how to make life better for millions of Nigerians, who have been forced into poverty due to APC’s misrule and bad economic policies.”
For Wabara, the message is clear: 2027 belongs to the people, not the power brokers.