2027: ‘Obi will defeat Tinubu by a wider margin in Lagos’ — NDC

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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed confidence that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will defeat President Bola Tinubu in Lagos State in the 2027 election, predicting a wider margin than the one recorded in 2023.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said Obi’s victory in Lagos during the last presidential election reflected the political mood of the state and was not accidental.

Director spoke with our correspondent on Friday while discussing the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

“Obi didn’t win Lagos by magic. It was a political reality. The people overwhelmingly rejected APC and their former governor who was the presidential candidate of the party,” he said.

He predicted that Obi would defeat Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) again in Lagos if the 2027 election was free and fair.

“In 2027, if there is a free and fair election without voter intimidation, Peter Obi will win, defeat President Bola Tinubu and the APC again by a wider margin in Lagos. You can take that to the bank,” Director stated.

Asked whether the party was concerned that voter intimidation and violence could affect the election, the NDC spokesperson said it was prepared to confront such challenges.

He challenged the APC to compete without violence, voter inducement or electoral irregularities, arguing that a credible election would allow parties to test their political strategies.

“That is why we are saying if they are sure of themselves, let us go head-to-head without the introduction of violence, inducement or irregularities,” he said.

Director added that the party had learnt lessons from the 2023 election and was preparing to respond to potential challenges in the next polls.

“We are going to beat them hands down with a wider margin in 2027 and we are prepared for their violence,” he said, adding that the party would counter any attempts to undermine its campaign.

Also speaking, the NDC candidate for Lagos Central Senatorial District, Ladipo Johnson, attributed the party’s confidence to what he described as the poor performance of the Tinubu administration.

Johnson said he expected Obi to win Lagos again, this time by a wider margin, while alleging that the opposition’s votes were manipulated in 2023.

“I make bold to say, by God’s grace because I’m not being boastful, that Obi will win Lagos again. This time, it will be with a much wider margin,” he said.

He claimed that the opposition had become stronger through wider political alliances, including the involvement of members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

Johnson said the party would work to ensure that votes cast in every state were properly counted, while identifying voter intimidation, harassment and vote buying as potential challenges in 2027.

He also criticised alleged attacks on opposition campaign banners and questioned why a party with substantial political influence would resort to intimidation.

Johnson urged voters to reject vote buying, which he referred to as “stomach infrastructure”.

During the 2023 presidential election, Obi, then the Labour Party candidate, won Lagos State with 582,454 votes, narrowly defeating Tinubu, who polled 572,606 votes, according to results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Obi won in nine local government areas, including Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu, Ojo and Alimosho.

Tinubu secured the highest number of votes in the remaining 11 local government areas: Agege, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin and Surulere.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, polled 75,750 votes, while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) secured 8,442 votes.

The NDC’s projection for 2027 remains a political prediction by party officials, while the party has identified electoral credibility, voter protection and grassroots mobilisation as key issues in its preparations for the next general election.