A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lere Olayinka, has predicted an easier road to victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, pointing to his political alliances and record in office.
Olayinka made the claim during an appearance on TVC Breakfast on Monday, arguing that Tinubu’s ability to attract influential politicians from across the political divide has weakened the opposition ahead of the next election.
He described the 2027 contest as a potential “one-way election”, attributing his prediction to what he called the president’s performance in governance and political strategy.
According to Olayinka, the situation is different from 2023, when Tinubu faced a competitive race against candidates including Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
He singled out FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who remains a PDP member but has been working with the Tinubu administration, as an example of how the president’s political strategy could affect the opposition.
Olayinka argued that Wike’s influence could have been used to strengthen the PDP ahead of 2027 if he had remained fully aligned with the opposition.
He also cited the political positions of Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, suggesting that opposition politicians supporting different presidential candidates could further divide the anti-Tinubu vote.
“By being open, by bringing people to himself, he (Tinubu) has been able to make governance easier. He has also been able to make politics easier for himself,” Olayinka said.
While Olayinka believes Tinubu’s political alliances have given the president an advantage, the 2027 election remains ahead, and the strength of the various opposition coalitions will ultimately be tested at the polls.
