President Bola Tinubu has warned his 2027 political rivals that he will not make their path to power easy, telling Catholic bishops at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday that he is prepared to fight for his position.
Tinubu Addresses Catholic Bishops
Speaking during a meeting with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, led by Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, Tinubu declared that he would not step aside without a contest. The meeting, which lasted barely an hour, was held on July 28, 2026, as reported by The Punch.
"Those who would take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and there is equal opportunity. I won't offer them a red carpet. I won't offer them the leash to tie me at home. No, we will wrestle each other to the finishing point," Tinubu stated.
Tinubu Defends INEC Against Bias Claims
The President also pushed back against criticism of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), dismissing opposition complaints about the electoral body as unfounded. "INEC is neutral. They have never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolf, then they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the company they keep," he said.
Education Achievements Highlighted
On education, Tinubu cited the unbroken academic calendar in public universities as a tangible achievement that ordinary Nigerians can appreciate. He highlighted the absence of industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as a direct answer to prayer.
"None of your children in university today can 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," he told the clerics.
Between 1999 and 2022, ASUU called strikes that cost Nigerian students over five years of academic time in total. The longest single action, a nine-month strike, ended in 2022. Tinubu noted that no comparable disruption has occurred since he took office in May 2023.
Tinubu Speaks on Economy and Security
Acknowledging the economic difficulties that have defined much of his time in office, Tinubu said he accepted responsibility for the situation. "I inherited it. I didn't run away. I asked for this job. I'm in it," he said. He added that stability had been achieved and that improved living conditions were within reach.
Closing on national unity, the President said Nigerians have no alternative but to build the country they have inherited. "We don't have another country but here," he stated.
El-Rufai Detention Mentioned
Recall that the ADC national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullah, issued a direct warning to President Tinubu over the detention of former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai. Abdullah alleged that el-Rufai's continued custody is politically motivated and designed to sideline him from the 2027 elections. El-Rufai is facing separate trials by the DSS and ICPC, with his bail application dismissed in early July, while his wives have appealed to Tinubu for help.
