The Presidency has reiterated that President Bola Tinubu remains focused on economic development and improving Nigerians’ livelihoods, rather than engaging in early political maneuvering for the 2027 elections.
This clarification was made by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday. He emphasized that the President’s success will be measured by his economic impact, not political strategies.
Dare’s remarks come amid rising political uncertainty and economic hardship, as opposition figures explore alliances to mount a challenge against Tinubu in 2027. Notably, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai recently left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a move that has intensified political speculation.
The statement reads:
“President Tinubu is not worried about the next election. He’s worried about the shared prosperity that he can bring to Nigerians.
He’s worried about how the reforms he has put in place will yield necessary impact. He is concerned about what happens to the economy of this country eventually. That’s the focus.
We’ve seen our foreign reserves go up. We’ve seen inflation come down. We’ve seen our trade surplus go up.
We’ve seen exports go up and imports drop.
We’ve seen the investments that have been attracted—over $50 billion. We are seeing prices dropping.
We have clear data and you have a President that is clearly in the driver’s seat, and he has stayed the course of the decisions he has taken.
And I think that the next election is not really in his view right now.
It’s how to make sure that at the end of his first term, he can sit back and say, look, ‘I have impacted the lives of Nigerians. I have turned this economy around.’”
Amid the economic difficulties affecting citizens, Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is dedicated to driving progress, pledging to listen to the needs of the people and implement necessary reforms.
During a meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on Friday, Tinubu addressed his controversial decision to remove fuel subsidies upon assuming office in 2023. He acknowledged that while the move was difficult, it was a necessary step to prevent economic collapse.
The President cited greater competition in the petroleum industry, improved agricultural production, and declining commodity prices as evidence that his policies are beginning to yield results. He further pointed out that foreign investors are increasingly confident in Nigeria’s economy, leading to increased capital inflow.
“Yes, removing the fuel subsidy was hard, tough for me, but it’s a hard choice that Nigeria must face. We are not going to bankrupt our country,” Tinubu said, according to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
As the 2027 political landscape begins to take shape, the Presidency insists that Tinubu’s primary focus remains on stabilizing the economy, fostering growth, and improving governance, rather than engaging in premature election-related activities.
