The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has expressed strong confidence that President Bola Tinubu will win a second term in office in the 2027 presidential election, declaring that the contest would be “a coronation, not an election.”
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a leading figure in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), made the remarks on Thursday during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television.
The minister defended the performance of the Tinubu administration, dismissed the chances of the opposition, and argued that demographic realities and the APC’s growing electoral strength would ensure the President’s victory at the polls.
His comments come as political parties continue to reposition themselves ahead of the 2027 general election, with campaigns and political alignments already gathering momentum across the country.
During the interview, Keyamo was asked whether he could confidently ask Nigerians to vote for the APC again despite the economic hardship and growing criticism of the Federal Government.
In response, he pointed to what he described as the party’s recent electoral successes as evidence that Nigerians still have confidence in the APC.
“We have won in Ekiti now. We told them to vote, they voted. FCT they voted, we won,” Keyamo said.
He argued that the outcome of recent elections showed that the ruling party remained politically strong despite criticism from opposition parties.
The minister also dismissed concerns over the strength of the opposition, particularly the expected challenge from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.
Atiku is expected to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Obi is widely expected to fly the flag of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
When asked whether Obi remained a serious political threat to the APC, Keyamo said he did not believe the former governor had enough support to defeat President Tinubu.
“I’m looking around, between you and me, where will Obi’s votes come from? I can’t see it,” he said.
The interviewer also asked whether Atiku Abubakar could pose a challenge to the ruling party.
Responding with laughter, Keyamo said: “Which Atiku? Nightmare who?”
The minister insisted that neither opposition candidate had the political strength to stop Tinubu’s re-election.
As the interview ended, Keyamo made what he described as a “profound statement” about the outcome of the next presidential election.
“I want to make a profound statement as a closing statement. Not out of arrogance, not out of overconfidence, but out of pure demographic calculations: the 2027 election is a coronation, not an election.
“I repeat—don’t take me out of context—out of pure demographic calculations, it’s a coronation,” he said.
Although Keyamo did not explain the demographic calculations he referred to, his comments suggest he believes the APC has sufficient electoral support across Nigeria to comfortably secure victory in the next presidential race.
President Tinubu is widely expected to seek re-election on the APC platform when his first four-year term expires in 2027.
Under Nigeria’s Constitution, a president is eligible to serve a maximum of two four-year terms.
Tinubu, who won the 2023 presidential election, is expected to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate, although the party has yet to formally announce its ticket.
The opposition, however, is also preparing for what many political observers believe could become one of Nigeria’s most closely watched presidential contests.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has contested for the presidency several times, remains one of the country’s most experienced opposition politicians.
Peter Obi, whose strong showing in the 2023 election attracted significant support among young voters and urban residents, is also expected to remain a major force in the race.
Current political discussions indicate that Obi is expected to contest the election with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), although the arrangement is yet to be officially confirmed by the party.
If the expected line-up is maintained, the 2027 election is likely to feature another fierce contest among Nigeria’s leading political figures.
Since assuming office in May 2023, Tinubu has introduced major policy changes, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market. While the government says the reforms are necessary to stabilise the economy and attract investment, many Nigerians have complained about the rising cost of living and increasing hardship.
The APC has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they are laying the foundation for long-term economic growth and national development.
Opposition parties, however, insist that the policies have worsened the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians and have vowed to campaign on promises of alternative economic strategies.
Despite the growing political activities ahead of 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not released the official timetable for the presidential election.
Nevertheless, political consultations, party realignments and public debates have intensified, with leading politicians already making statements aimed at strengthening their support bases.