2027: Duke Predicts Tinubu Victory, Gives Reasons

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has said President Bola Tinubu could win the 2027 presidential election if opposition parties fail to unite behind a single candidate.

Duke stated this on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he spoke about ongoing discussions among opposition parties on plans to form a coalition against Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.

The opposition held its meeting today, where it demanded that a single candidate be fielded in 2027.

The meeting was boycotted by two opposition members — Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

The former Cross River State governor, who earlier spoke at the opposition meeting, warned that the opposition’s inability to agree on a single candidate could strengthen Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election.

“Absolutely, with the chequered opposition it won’t work; Tinubu might win,” Duke said when asked about the fractured opposition.

He, however, argued that a Tinubu victory in such a situation would still produce a minority government, as the president might win without securing more than half of the total votes cast during the election.

“If Tinubu wins, it will still be a minority government,” he stated, adding that the incumbent president “won’t get a majority of the votes cast on election day.”

Duke recalled that Tinubu secured about 37 per cent of the votes in the 2023 presidential election, suggesting that the president’s share could fall further in 2027 if opposition parties remain divided.

“Last time he had about 37 per cent of the votes. So that scenario may replay itself,” he stated.

“It may even be less. He may get maybe 25 per cent, you know, and all that,” he said.

He said the division within the opposition could ultimately work in Tinubu’s favour, allowing the president to win with a relatively small percentage of the total votes.

“But because the opposition is fractured, all he would strive to do is get 25 per cent in two-thirds of the states and a simple majority.

“He doesn’t need to get 8 million votes. He could just get 10 votes more, five votes more than every other person. He has a majority,” Duke added.