2027: Osun election shows how Tinubu can be defeated, Lukman says
An opposition coalition leader, Salihu Lukman, has said the outcome of the 2026 Osun governorship election has shown opposition parties how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could be defeated in the 2027 presidential election.
Lukman made the claim in a statement while reacting to the victory of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke in Saturday’s governorship poll.
Stay updated: Set GistReel as a favorite source on Google to catch our stories first.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Adeleke the winner after he defeated the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Lukman points to opposition unity
According to Lukman, the Osun election provided a possible template for opposition parties seeking to challenge Tinubu in 2027.
He argued that the opposition’s major problem was not a lack of popular support but its inability to unite behind a common political strategy.
Lukman urged opposition leaders to put aside personal ambitions and work together if they genuinely wanted to change the direction of the country.
He said, “Nigeria’s opposition does not suffer from a shortage of popular support. Its greatest challenge is fragmentation.”
2027 election draws closer
Lukman further stated, “Nigeria is bigger than any candidate, any ambition and any political party.”
He added, “If opposition leaders genuinely believe that the country requires a different direction in 2027, then they must demonstrate the same courage, restraint and willingness to compromise that has now produced this outcome in Osun.”
Adeleke’s victory has continued to generate reactions among political observers, particularly over its possible implications for the 2027 elections.
Lukman’s comments have therefore added to the growing debate over whether opposition parties can overcome their differences and present a united challenge ahead of the presidential poll.