2027: I won’t let you tie me down, Tinubu vows to ‘wrestle’ opponents to finish line

President Bola Tinubu has warned political rivals aiming to unseat him in the 2027 presidential election that he will not yield ground without a fight, declaring that they must be prepared to “wrestle” him to the finish line.

Tinubu spoke on Tuesday while receiving members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its president, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at the State House, Abuja.

He vowed to fiercely defend his position against 2027 challengers, stating, “I won’t offer them a red carpet… we will wrestle each other to the finishing point”.

The President defended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against allegations of bias, describing the body as neutral and dismissing critics’ concerns as fear.

“I asked for this job. I’m in it. Those who will take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and it’s equal opportunity.

“INEC, you mentioned, is neutral. They’ve never, never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolves, maybe they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the companies they keep, not me.

“I’m ready, but I won’t give them a red carpet. I won’t offer them the leash to tie me and rope me. No, we wrestle each other to the finishing point,” Tinubu said.

The President also defended his administration’s performance, saying Nigerians’ quality of life was improving despite the challenges he inherited on assuming office.

“The quality of life is improving. Our founding fathers did their best; they lived for the nation, and we owe it to our generations yet unborn to build the nation of unity, stability and prosperity for the future, to educate our people.

“Yes. None of your children in the university today, and I will say all of them are your children, the reverend fathers.

“You can’t say a four-year course is not four years. ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers? To me, that’s an answer.

“The security situation is what it is. We don’t have another country, but here, this Nigeria.

“And then we revert to our national anthem. In this complexity, diversity, we shall thrive, live, rejoice and be good to all of us, as humanity.

“And that is all, I think. Yes, I’ve seen that. The challenges are there. I inherited it. I didn’t run away,” he added.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖