Tinubu Never Won 2023 Election, But We Are Ready for Him This Time, He Will Lose 2027 Election — Abaribe

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who represents Abia South Senatorial District, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not secure a second term in office in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the president never truly won the 2023 contest in the first place.

Abaribe, a ranking member of the opposition and former Senate Minority Leader, made the remarks while speaking on Politics Today, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television on Monday.

His comments come amid growing political conversations around President Tinubu’s re-election prospects, as Nigeria continues to grapple with economic hardship, rising living costs, and persistent security challenges.

Responding to suggestions that President Tinubu has never lost an election and remains a formidable political force, Abaribe dismissed the claim, arguing that no politician is invincible.

“I do not think so,” the senator said. “Everybody loses elections, and you will see when the time comes. He will lose in 2027 because I know what Nigerians are feeling outside.”

According to Abaribe, the mood across the country has shifted significantly since the 2023 general election, largely due to the hardship many Nigerians say they are experiencing under the current administration. He argued that worsening economic conditions have strengthened public resolve to seek change at the polls.

The Abia lawmaker went further to question the legitimacy of Tinubu’s victory in the last presidential election, a contest that was hotly disputed by opposition parties and widely debated in court and in the public space.

“Tinubu never won the 2023 election, and everybody knows it,” Abaribe claimed. “But we said fine, he has been declared the winner, no problem. We acknowledge him as president.”

Despite accepting Tinubu as the constitutionally recognised president, Abaribe said the opposition is preparing to confront the ruling party decisively in the next election cycle. He maintained that the political landscape in 2027 would be markedly different from 2023.

“We are going to meet him in the field, and I will see how he is going to cobble together what will make him win again,” he said. “It won’t work because this time everybody will be ready.”

The senator suggested that alleged irregularities that characterised the 2023 election would not be repeated in 2027, stressing that both political actors and ordinary citizens are now more vigilant.

“It will no longer be an announcement at 3 a.m. before people wake up in the morning,” Abaribe added, referring to controversies surrounding the timing and process of results declaration during the last election. “This time, people are ready, we are ready, and the masses are even more ready.”

Abaribe also delivered a harsh assessment of President Tinubu’s performance so far, accusing his administration of presiding over what he described as an economic collapse. Nigeria has faced soaring inflation, currency depreciation, fuel price increases, and widespread complaints about the cost of living since the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira.

According to the senator, these economic difficulties, combined with ongoing security concerns across several parts of the country, would make it difficult for Tinubu to attract enough support for re-election.

“The economy has collapsed, insecurity is still there,” Abaribe said, questioning where the president would source the votes required to win another term.

While the presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have consistently defended Tinubu’s policies as necessary reforms aimed at stabilising the economy in the long run, critics argue that the immediate impact on citizens has been severe and poorly managed.

Abaribe’s remarks reflect a broader confidence among opposition figures that public dissatisfaction could translate into electoral defeat for the incumbent in 2027. However, supporters of President Tinubu maintain that ongoing reforms will eventually yield positive results and strengthen his standing with voters ahead of the next general election.

With more than two years to go before Nigerians return to the polls, Abaribe’s comments signal that political tensions are already building, as both the ruling party and the opposition begin to position themselves for what is expected to be another fiercely contested presidential race.