APC Member Discounts ADC’s Chance Against Tinubu

A high‑ranking member of the All Progressives Congress, Osita Okechukwu, has dismissed claims of a national consensus to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027. He argued that the prevailing consensus is actually the long‑standing rotation of the presidency between the north and south, a convention established in 1999 to promote equity, justice and fairness. Speaking to members of the Congress for Progressive Change in Enugu State, Okechukwu briefed them on a recent meeting with President Tinubu and emphasized that this rotation principle is a fundamental aspect of Nigeria’s political landscape, embraced by the majority of Nigerians, both partisan and non‑partisan.

In response to the African Democratic Congress’s assertion of a national consensus against Tinubu, Okechukwu described those who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ADC as “internal displaced politicians” desperate for power. He urged them to return to the PDP and address the problems they created rather than attempting to undermine the rotation convention. According to Okechukwu, these individuals are inadvertently fostering a one‑party state by breaching the rotation rule and unfairly blaming President Tinubu for their mistakes. He questioned whether Tinubu had directed them to violate the rotation convention and the PDP’s constitution in 2023.

Okechukwu expressed surprise that the ADC has not embraced the rotation convention, which he believes serves the best interests of all Nigerians. Instead, he claimed the ADC is engaged in a blame game, seeking to discredit a practice he views as a unifying force in the country. He reiterated his confidence that Tinubu will secure a substantial portion of the 12 million votes that former President Muhammadu Buhari previously garnered, noting that the northern electorate—on which the ADC is relying—is one of the most sophisticated in the nation and cannot be taken for granted.

These remarks come as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, with various political parties and interest groups jostling for position. The rotation convention, a cornerstone of Nigerian politics since 1999, is likely to play a significant role in the upcoming contests, as parties and candidates seek to leverage it to their advantage.