2027: I’ll Wrestle Opposition To Finishing Point, Tinubu Vows

President Bola Tinubu has vowed to resist efforts by opposition politicians to unseat him in the 2027 presidential election, saying he is prepared to fight until the end.

The President stated this on Tuesday when he received the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at the State House.

With less than six months to the 2027 presidential election, Tinubu said he was aware of those seeking to take his position from him, but insisted that he would not make the contest easy for them.

The President said he had asked Nigerians for the opportunity to lead the country and was prepared to defend his mandate through the political process.

“I asked for this job. I’m in it. Those who will take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and it’s equal opportunity,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu also dismissed claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission was working against opposition politicians, describing the electoral body as neutral.

He said those accusing INEC of bias might be acting out of fear because of the political alliances around them.

“INEC, you mentioned, is neutral. They’ve never, never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolves, maybe they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the companies they keep, not me,” the President said.

Tinubu added that although he was ready for the political battle ahead, he would not make things easy for his opponents.

“I’m ready, but I won’t give them a red carpet. I won’t offer them the leash to tie me and rope me. No, we wrestle each other to the finishing point,” he said.

The President also defended his administration’s performance, saying the quality of life in the country was improving.

Tinubu said his administration inherited both the assets and liabilities of the previous government and had been working to address the challenges it met on the ground.

“The quality of life is improving. Our founding fathers did their best; they lived for the nation, and we owe it to our generations yet unborn to build the nation of unity, stability and prosperity for the future, to educate our people,” he said.

The President also pointed to the uninterrupted academic calendar in Nigerian universities as one of the achievements of his administration.

He said students were now able to complete their four-year university programmes without prolonged strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

“You can’t say a four-year course is not four years. ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers? To me, that’s an answer,” Tinubu said.

Speaking on the security situation, the President acknowledged that challenges remained but said Nigerians had no other country to call their own.

“The security situation is what it is. We don’t have another country, but here, this Nigeria,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to remain committed to building a united and prosperous country despite the challenges facing the nation.

“And then we revert to our national anthem. In this complexity, diversity, we shall thrive, live, rejoice and be good to all of us, as humanity,” Tinubu said.

The President also insisted that he had not abandoned the challenges he inherited when he assumed office.

“And that is all, I think. Yes, I’ve seen that. The challenges are there. I inherited it. I didn’t run away,” he added.

Earlier, the President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Ndagoso, thanked Tinubu for the warm reception given to the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

Gallagher had visited Nigeria as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Vatican.

However, the bishops also used the meeting to draw the President’s attention to some of the major challenges confronting the country.

Ndagoso raised concerns about insecurity, the quality of tertiary education, limited admission spaces in universities, the need to protect Nigeria’s democratic gains, credible elections and widespread poverty.

The CBCN President also called on the Tinubu administration to ensure that the 2027 general elections are free, fair and credible.

The Archbishop of Kaduna urged the government to create an environment where every eligible Nigerian could freely participate in the electoral process.

The bishops further appealed to the President to consider the return of mission schools, saying such a move could help improve the quality of education in the country.

They also called for fair treatment of all worshippers and urged the government to ensure that places of worship are provided in all parts of the country without discrimination.