Former presidential spokesman Doyin Okupe has expressed confidence that Nigerians will re-elect President Bola Tinubu in 2027, allowing him to complete the two constitutionally permitted terms totalling eight years.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, Okupe claimed there is an unspoken rotational presidency agreement between the southern and northern regions. He argued that although former President Muhammadu Buhari “did not perform well” yet remained in office for eight years, Tinubu, who he believes “is performing well,” should likewise serve his full term.
Okupe stated, “Nigerians will make that choice, I am certain. Nigerians are reasonable, sensible people, not overly demanding of their leaders.” His statement came a day after he met with the President in Abuja.
He continued, “If Bola Tinubu provides stable electricity by 2027, if he resolves the fuel and food crises by then, you will see people take to the streets, chanting ‘Bola or nobody’.”
Okupe, a former supporter of Labour Party’s Peter Obi, remarked that the T-Pain nickname given to Tinubu on social media symbolises a “temporary pain that will lead to extensive benefits and positive change for the nation.”
Currently, Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented inflation, with energy costs having more than quadrupled since Tinubu, the former Lagos governor, assumed office in May 2023.
There have been two major protests in 2024, with demonstrators urging the government to reverse its policies on petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex rates. However, the administration maintains that these reforms are producing results and remains firm in its commitment to them.
