A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said President Bola Tinubu has no realistic chance of securing re-election in 2027.
Rhodes-Vivour, who was the Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State in the 2023 election, made the assertion while speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today on Wednesday.
"I have looked at data, we have polling that is going on now, credible polling--there is no pathway for the president to emerge victorious, that is why we are seeing all these shenanigans," he said.
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He further argued that the president's electoral support base, particularly in northern Nigeria, has significantly weakened.
"There is no pathway for him. When you look at the North that gave him 62 per cent of his votes, you see the tsunami that is happening in the North," Rhodes-Vivour added.
The Lagos politician also criticised the composition of the current administration, alleging that governance has been concentrated among a narrow circle.
"You have a president that created a government system that is just for the city boys. It is a city boys' government. It's not even a proper South-West government; it's his cronies that are just in charge," he said.
Rhodes-Vivour linked the ongoing crisis within opposition parties, including the ADC, to what he described as a deliberate strategy by the ruling government.
According to him, the president is attempting to weaken opposition structures ahead of the next election cycle.
"So, the best pathway is to create an environment where he is the only candidate on the ballot for the presidency. That is what he is trying to achieve, but he is not going to succeed," he stated.
His comments come amid tensions within the ADC following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its portal as the party's national chairman and secretary, respectively.
The move, which INEC said was based on a court order, has been rejected by the party's leadership.
Earlier this week, prominent opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, led a protest at INEC headquarters in Abuja, calling for electoral accountability.
The demonstration attracted hundreds of supporters, highlighting growing political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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