2027 poll is a “coronation exercise”; “everywhere go blur” for Atiku, Obi, others — Tinubu’s minister, Keyamo

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has predicted that President Bola Tinubu will defeat opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election.

Keyamo made the prediction during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would retain power in the next general election.

Responding to a question on whether he could confidently ask Nigerians to vote for President Tinubu and the APC again, the minister said the administration’s achievements had already earned it the confidence of many Nigerians.

“Everybody in the world has attested to the facts. To be honest, nobody can say all of it now. But we won in Ekiti. We told them to vote and they voted. In the FCT, they voted. We won already,” he said.

When the interviewer noted that Peter Obi would be on the ballot in 2027 and asked what gave him confidence that the former Anambra State governor would not pose a serious challenge, Keyamo dismissed the possibility.

“I’m looking around. Between you and me, where will Obi’s votes come from? I can’t see it,” he said.

Even after the interviewer suggested that many Nigerians might disagree with his assessment, the minister stood by his position.

“I don’t see where it will come from,” he added.

On former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Keyamo also downplayed his chances before making a bold prediction about the outcome of the election.

“Atiku, who?… Look, listen. I want to make a profound closing statement. Not out of arrogance. Not out of overconfidence. But out of pure demographic calculations. The 2027 election is a coronation, not an election. I repeat, don’t take me out of context. Out of pure demographic calculations, it’s a coronation,” he said.

When asked whether his comment suggested the election would be rigged, the minister rejected the interpretation, insisting he was referring strictly to electoral demographics.

“You see yourself. You heard what I said. Demographic calculations. You are taking it somewhere else. I didn’t say that,” he responded.

As the interview ended, Keyamo jokingly remarked in pidgin:

“I don tey with una, no dey worry me like this… Everywhere go blur. Everywhere go blur.”

The minister also revisited his recent disagreement with Peter Obi over an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Keyamo accused the former Labour Party presidential candidate of making false claims that he was politically harassed after his vehicle was clamped at the airport.

According to the minister, CCTV footage from the airport contradicted Obi’s account, showing that the vehicle had been left unattended in a restricted drop-off zone, prompting airport officials to enforce existing regulations.

He maintained that airport personnel acted professionally and had no knowledge that the vehicle belonged to Obi when they clamped it.

“Then I saw the man was lying. He lies like a fish drinking water. He lies. He lies for fun,” Keyamo said during the interview.

The minister had earlier demanded that Obi apologise to airport personnel and pay the ₦25,000 parking fine, warning that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) could take further action if the demands were not met.

Follow Very Nigerian WhatsApp Channel
For Verified Breaking News, Exclusive Reports, Trending Stories, And Real-time Updates.
CLICk HERE TO JOIN!