2027: Nigerians Will Decide Your Fate, Not Defectors To APC, Shinkafi Tells Tinubu

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, has cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against encouraging political defections, insisting that electoral victories are determined more by the will of the masses than by party structures.

He said If the masses are dissatisfied, it will be difficult for any political party to win, stressing that the 2027 election will be between the masses and the political parties.
Shinkafi, on a SYNFONI News talk show shared by Dr. Kenon, on his verified X handle, argued that experiences from the 2015 and 2023 general elections showed that political structure alone does not guarantee success at the polls.

Citing the political trajectory of Peter Obi, he recalled that Obi contested the 2003 Anambra State governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which he said lacked formidable structure at the time, yet won 17 out of 21 local government areas based on results tendered at the election tribunal.
He also referenced the 2023 presidential election, noting that Obi, who defected to the Labour Party (LP) ahead of the polls, defeated Tinubu in Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) despite the LP having no governor or federal lawmaker before the election.

According to Shinkafi, “From the elections of 2015 and 2023, you will believe with me that there is no point in unnecessary political defection. The masses will always decide.”
He further recalled that in 2015, former President Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan despite the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlling a majority of states and federal lawmakers at the time.

Shinkafi maintained that the North-West geopolitical zone played a decisive role in Tinubu’s emergence as APC presidential candidate during the party’s primaries and later in the general election, contributing over 2.8 million votes.
He listed key figures from the zone, including former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and ex-Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje, as influential actors during the primaries.

The APC chieftain advised the President to focus on fulfilling campaign promises and establishing a think tank to reconnect with grassroots voters ahead of the 2027 general election.
“The 2027 election will be political parties versus the masses of Nigeria. If the masses are dissatisfied, it will be difficult for any political party to win,” he warned.
On electoral reforms, Shinkafi expressed strong support for real-time electronic transmission of election results, arguing that it would enhance transparency and credibility.

He referenced the 2023 electoral disputes and the debates surrounding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), insisting that real-time transmission would reduce manipulation associated with manual registers.
“With about 97 per cent internet coverage in Nigeria, real-time transmission of results is achievable. Every responsible Nigerian who wishes the country well should support it,” he stated.
Shinkafi concluded that leaders who emerge through credible and transparent elections are more likely to deliver good governance, urging lawmakers to back reforms that would strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
End.