Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, has explained why the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, lack the required political capacity to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Gagdi, who said the ruling All Progressives Congress noted that the APC is far ahead of the opposition in political mobilisation, insisted that he had seen nothing to suggest that either Atiku or Obi was preparing effectively to unseat the president.

“I have never, in my political imagination, thought that my party, APC, would lose an election,” he said.

According to him, “What are the opposition doing? What are the opposition planning or doing? I have not seen, with the activities of the opposition, those you mentioned, Peter Obi or Atiku. I have not seen any effort being put in place by them to unseat or defeat the president come 2027. I would say this any day, anytime.”

Gagdi argued that the APC had maintained sustained political activities across the country, unlike opposition parties.

“You have seen APC’s activities in the last one year across Nigeria, in the four corners of Nigeria where our political activities are ten times the political activities of any opposition political party in Nigeria,” he said.

“So who is supposed to talk to another person about planning to win an election?”

The Plateau lawmaker dismissed suggestions that only opposition politicians were strategising ahead of the next general election.

“You think Bola Tinubu and the APC are not trying to win elections in 2027? Atiku and Obi have always been defeated,” he stated.

Gagdi maintained that political parties naturally prepare for elections, saying it would be wrong to suggest that only opposition politicians were planning for 2027.

“If you think they are planning, what makes you think that the APC is not planning to win elections? Are we sleeping? What planning are they doing?” he asked.

The lawmaker also accused some opposition figures of exploiting the country’s security challenges for political advantage instead of offering practical solutions.

“From the tune of some people that are supposed to be leaders of this country when they are talking about what Nigerians are passing through, you will see it from them that they seem to appreciate the situation Nigeria is going through.”

“Instead of lamenting and proffering solutions, you lament and tie it to the fact that government is defective in solving that problem just to achieve some political gain

DAILY POST reports that the African Democratic Congress and NDC have all confirmed that Atiku’s and Peter Obi’s credentials have been uploaded on the INEC portal ahead of the 2027 general elections. This means Tinubu, Atiku, and Peter Obi will have to slug it out in the 2027 election.
You may like

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced that it has received 80 per cent of the non-sensitive materials required for the Osun State governorship election scheduled for 15 August.

The Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, disclosed this during a news conference held at the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo.

Babalola said the Commission was making steady preparations for the election and assured stakeholders that arrangements were progressing according to schedule.

She explained that INEC was working closely with relevant security agencies to guarantee the safe storage and protection of the election materials before deployment.

“We are collaborating with relevant security agencies to ensure the safe storage of the materials,” Mrs Babalola said.

Addressing concerns over voter apathy, the Resident Electoral Commissioner urged stakeholders to intensify public enlightenment on the importance of participating in the electoral process.

She said political parties, civil society organisations, religious leaders, community leaders, journalists and other stakeholders all had important roles to play in encouraging eligible voters to exercise their franchise.

Mrs Babalola also appealed to media organisations to support the electoral process by providing fair, balanced and credible reports throughout the election period.

“The media should not overheat the polity. We urge journalists to cooperate with the commission through balanced and credible reportage,” she said.
You may like