2027: All We May Need to Do is Tolerate the Arrogance of This Government for Another 4 Years- Lawal

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has expressed reservations about the likely political landscape ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, questioning whether opposition figures will be able to effectively challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In an interview published by The Sun Nigeria on Sunday, June 21, 2026, Lawal assessed the political prospects of President Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi, offering a critical view of the opposition’s readiness and cohesion.

Although he acknowledged that the current administration has faced widespread criticism over governance issues, Lawal said he remains unconvinced that a return to power for Atiku Abubakar would deliver the kind of stability Nigeria needs at this stage of its political and economic development. 

He suggested that the country is going through a delicate period that requires careful leadership choices rather than routine political turnover.

He further argued that Nigerians may, for now, have limited viable alternatives, implying that the most realistic expectation could be to endure the present administration while waiting for another opportunity for change in the future. 

In his words, “Between Atiku and President Tinubu, Tinubu is at least wary of us. All we may need to do is tolerate the arrogance of this government for another four years and then move on.”

Lawal maintained that Nigeria’s current challenges demand a sober evaluation of leadership capacity, stressing that governance should be guided by competence and political structure rather than sentiment or popularity alone.

He also raised concerns about Peter Obi’s electoral strength, pointing to what he described as limitations in the organisational capacity of the political platform under which the former Anambra State governor now operates. 

According to him, winning a presidential election in Nigeria requires strong grassroots structures, substantial financial backing, and a well-established party machinery—areas where he believes Obi’s current political base may be at a disadvantage.

Obi became the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress after his departure from the African Democratic Congress earlier in 2026, a move that reshaped his political alignment ahead of the next election cycle.

His candidacy was later followed by the defection of former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who emerged as his running mate as part of efforts by the party to build a broader opposition coalition capable of competing in the forthcoming general elections.