APC Chieftain: No Propaganda Will Prevent Tinubu’s Re-election

Nigeria’s Tinubu Will Win Re-election Despite Opposition, APC Chieftain Claims

A prominent member of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed criticisms against President Bola Tinubu, confidently predicting the president will secure a second term in the 2027 general election despite growing opposition.

Princewill Dike, a Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner and APC chieftain, made these remarks while responding to statements from former Senate President David Mark following a court decision to derecognize Mark’s leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“No vile propaganda whatsoever can stop President Tinubu’s second missionary journey in 2027. He will coast to victory seamlessly,” Dike declared, suggesting opposition figures are merely “striving to be politically afloat.”

The controversy stems from Mark’s characterization of the court ruling as an “attack on democracy” orchestrated by the Tinubu administration. According to Dike, Mark had claimed that the plaintiffs in the case “had become willing tools in the hands of a ruling party that had lost all support and goodwill of the Nigerian people; a government that had become desperate to cling on to power by all means, even if it meant throwing the country into an avoidable crisis.”

In his rebuttal, Dike labeled Mark and other critics of the Tinubu administration as “power hungry” politicians who “cannot exist outside the political office structure.” He referenced political theorist Claude Ake’s observation about Nigeria’s political elite, suggesting that certain politicians view government primarily as a means to accumulate wealth rather than serve the public.

The APC chieftain went on to highlight what he considers significant achievements of the Tinubu presidency. He pointed to infrastructure development in the Federal Capital Territory, which he claims now “can compete with the major cities in the world,” and the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund for tertiary institution students.

On economic matters, Dike asserted that food prices have “significantly dropped” and inflation has decreased from the 22.4 percent seen during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to around 14.34 percent under Tinubu. “The economy is stabilizing, which in turn is attracting foreign investors,” he said, noting that international economists including World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Central Bank Governor Charles Soludo have “commended Tinubu’s economic policy.”

Other accomplishments cited by Dike include the ambitious Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project and the controversial removal of fuel subsidies, which he described as “a hydra-headed monster” that previous administrations failed to address. According to him, the subsidy removal has redirected oil revenues “to critical areas of need, rather than the few who were milking the country dry.”

Dike also mentioned increased oil production, which he says has risen to 1.68 million barrels per day, and social welfare initiatives including the release of N570 billion to states for livelihood support and grants for 600,000 businesses.

His comments come at a time of significant economic challenges in Nigeria, including persistent inflation, currency devaluation, and widespread hardship following the removal of fuel subsidies. While government officials point to these reforms as necessary structural adjustments, opposition groups and many citizens have criticized the Tinubu administration for the resulting cost-of-living crisis.

Political analysts note that with the 2027 elections still years away, it remains premature to make definitive predictions about Tinubu’s re-election prospects. The president’s ability to deliver tangible improvements in Nigerians’ living standards over the next three years will likely play a decisive role in determining his political future.