President Bola Tinubu could lose the 2027 presidential election before 4pm on election day if Nigerians are allowed to vote in a credible, free and fair process, National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has declared.
Baba-Ahmed made the assertion while featuring on a Channels Television programme, where he discussed the political implications of the recently concluded Osun State governorship election and the prospects of the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the outcome of the Osun election demonstrated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could be defeated despite its control of the Federal Government, several state governments and a substantial majority in the National Assembly.
“APC was trounced in Osun. We didn’t even see a coalition or collaboration or a gang-up against the APC. Parties all competed against one another. Yet, APC was defeated,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed argued that the Osun result could be replicated at the national level if voters are allowed to freely determine the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
“There’s no reason why this cannot repeat itself at a national level,” he added.
The PRP chairman also dismissed suggestions that the Osun election result was influenced by an understanding between President Tinubu and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He said his assessment was based on the ability of voters to defeat an incumbent ruling party through the ballot.
Baba-Ahmed described the APC as deeply troubled by internal contradictions, saying: “APC is not a party. It is a monster eating itself up and eating everybody up.”
He also questioned why President Tinubu would remain politically concerned despite reportedly having the support of a large number of governors and a substantial majority in the National Assembly.
“You have a president who appears to have garnered the support of 31 governors and quite possibly about 75 per cent of the National Assembly, yet he’s still uncomfortable. It’s politically monstrous,” he said.
According to him, the ruling party’s political strength would become irrelevant if the 2027 election is conducted transparently and voters are allowed to freely choose their preferred candidates.
“If it’s a credible, free and fair election, I assure you, Tinubu will lose,” Baba-Ahmed declared.
Asked how early he expected the result to become clear, he said he was deliberately avoiding an earlier prediction but remained confident that the outcome could be evident within hours of voting.
“I won’t say before 12 noon. Maybe before 4 pm,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed also cautioned Nigerians against prematurely commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the 2027 elections.
“Nobody should praise INEC until it can actually conduct an election in which the President is a contestant,” he said.
He stressed that the credibility of the electoral process would be crucial to determining the legitimacy of the eventual winner and sustaining public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
The PRP chairman further warned that any failure to conduct a free and fair election could have consequences beyond the fortunes of individual political parties.
“I hope the election will be credible, free and fair. If it’s not, I foresee a very serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
His comments come as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the APC expected to defend the presidency and opposition parties working to build a formidable challenge to the ruling party.
