2027 Election: Federal Government Reacts Strongly as Obi Envisages Tinubu's Loss, Details Emerge
- Minister of Defence Christopher Musa fired back at Peter Obi's claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would lose the 2027 presidential election
- Musa said the APC would win the presidential, governorship, and all other elections in Kaduna state, dismissing talk of northern opposition to the ruling party
- Hours before Musa's response, Obi had told supporters at a Port Harcourt town hall that voters would not allow their ballots to be manipulated in 2027
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - The federal government has pushed back against claims by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), that President Bola Tinubu would lose the 2027 general elections, with a senior minister declaring that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is confident of retaining the presidency and sweeping contests across the North.
Legit.ng reports that Christopher Musa, the minister of defence, made the rebuttal on Thursday, September 3, during an interview on Channels Television's 'Politics Today', responding to suggestions that voters in Kaduna state and the broader North could punish the APC over its record in government.
Source: Facebook
Musa: APC will win at every level
Musa dismissed talk of growing anti-government sentiment in the North as mere perception, arguing that some critics were whipping up public opinion simply because they were dissatisfied with their personal circumstances.
"That's a perception. It's a perception, and I mean, everybody has his own perception to deal with. People will always have the good, the bad, and the ugly," he said.
Asked directly whether the APC risked losing Kaduna state, the minister was unequivocal:
“APC will win in Kaduna. That I know,” he said, according to The Punch on Friday, September 4.
He added that the party’s victory would extend to the presidential, governorship and other contests in the state.
Musa also defended the Tinubu administration's economic policies, describing them as difficult but necessary.
"The President has taken very painful decisions, and I can tell you these are decisions that are coming in gradually," he said, adding that Nigerians would come to appreciate the administration's approach over time.
Watch a video of Musa expressing confidence in the APC’s chances in the 2027 elections below, via X:
Obi warns against ballot manipulation
Earlier on Thursday, September 3, Obi addressed supporters at a town hall meeting tagged "Obi Talks Nigeria" in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, issuing a firm warning that the 2027 polls would not be as easy to manipulate as he alleged the 2023 election was.
"Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth. If you get to any polling booth today, the highest number of officials you see in any polling booth is five," Obi said.
He argued that with an average of 40 to 50 voters per polling unit against just five officials, numerical strength alone would deter coercion. He also promised that multiple backup portals would be available to counter any technical failures on the INEC Result Viewing Portal.
"There will be so many IReVs this time. This time around, if there is a network glitch, we will give them another one that has no glitch," Obi said.
Obi contested the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party (LP) platform, finishing third behind Tinubu, who polled 8,794,726 votes, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who received 6,984,520 votes. Obi received 6,101,533 votes. He has since maintained that he won Rivers state and the overall election, allegations the courts rejected. On May 29, 2026, Obi was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
Read more on 2027 election
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Tinubu gains spiritual backing
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Supreme Council of the Tijaniyya worldwide prayed for Tinubu, asking God to grant him good health, peace, and continued guidance in leading Nigeria.
The prayers were offered during a condolence visit to President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, according to a statement released by Sunday Dare, the Nigerian leader's special adviser on media and public communications.
Source: Legit.ng
