Why Tinubu Should Quit 2027 Race – Makinde Campaign

The Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organization (MDPCO) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, warning that his continued ambition could deepen political tensions and worsen the country’s existing economic and social challenges.

In a statement signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Nnanna Ihediwa, the organisation urged Tinubu to respect the growing calls for a change in leadership and demonstrate statesmanship by guaranteeing a free, fair and credible presidential election in 2027.

The campaign organisation, which is backing the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde, said Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones were increasingly looking towards Makinde to provide what it described as a National Reset capable of putting the country on a new development path.

The MDPCO maintained that the President should pay attention to what it described as growing public resentment against his administration, citing recent incidents in which Tinubu and his entourage were reportedly booed by worshippers at the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Abuja.

It also recalled a similar incident in Lagos, where the President reportedly faced chants of “ole” following his return from France, as well as alleged expressions of public dissatisfaction in Kaduna, Plateau, Rivers, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa and Osun states.

According to the organisation, these incidents should serve as a warning to the President and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that Nigerians are increasingly dissatisfied with the direction of the country.

The campaign group attributed the alleged public discontent to economic hardship, rising living costs, unemployment and what it described as the failure of the Tinubu administration to adequately address the difficulties facing ordinary citizens.

Invoking the political philosophy of Italian thinker Niccolò Machiavelli, the MDPCO argued that leaders must avoid becoming hated or despised by the people, warning that such resentment could undermine political authority and survival.

It further accused the President of being disconnected from the economic realities confronting millions of Nigerians, insisting that the administration’s policies had deepened poverty and frustration across the country.

The organisation claimed that about 140 million Nigerians, representing 63 per cent of the population, had been pushed into poverty, while more than 60 million citizens reportedly went to bed hungry daily. It also cited over 30 million unemployed youths as evidence of the country’s worsening economic situation.

On the petroleum sector, the campaign organisation expressed concern over petrol prices reportedly ranging between ₦1,400 and ₦2,000 per litre in different parts of the country, questioning how the President could expect continued public support amid the rising cost of living.

It also criticised the administration’s borrowing profile, alleging that Nigeria’s foreign borrowings had reached ₦166.7 trillion without corresponding improvements in citizens’ living conditions or clearly articulated repayment plans.

The MDPCO warned that Tinubu should not mistake the apparent support of political elites, the influence of presidential power or financial inducements for genuine popular acceptance.

“Mr. President, the die is cast! Nigerians are determined for a change and they are not ready to accept any electoral manipulation that will perpetuate the current economic hardship and social uncertainties under the APC anti-people regime for another four years,” the statement declared.

The organisation consequently urged Tinubu to reconsider his re-election ambition, arguing that the country needed a new direction and a leadership capable of restoring public confidence.

It presented Makinde’s proposed RESET NIGERIA Agenda as an alternative, promising a governance model anchored on transparency, accountability, equal opportunities and measurable results.

According to the campaign organisation, the proposed agenda seeks to build a country where access to opportunities is not determined by ethnic background, family connections or social status.

The MDPCO concluded by urging Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest and allow Nigerians to freely determine the country’s next political direction, insisting that Makinde’s proposed leadership offered the pathway to a national reset.