Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson and party chieftain Segun Sowunmi has expressed concern that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could face widespread allegations of electoral malpractice even if he secures victory in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday, Sowunmi said the primary threat to Nigeria’s stability after the polls may not be the identity of the winner, but whether defeated candidates and their supporters will accept the outcome.
“I pity him (Tinubu) because after he wins, they’re going to start saying he rigged,” Sowunmi stated. “And the biggest challenge for the stability of this country going forward is not so much who will win or who will lose, but how they will accept outcomes.”
He emphasised that voters retain the right to choose freely between candidates and that political actors must respect the electorate’s decision when their opponents prevail.
“Because if you do an election and people can vote for you, they can vote for your rival. And if they do happen to vote for your rival and he wins, if you insist that all you are going to be doing is screaming up and down and instigating the society, how does the winner become the victim of the votes people gave him?” Sowunmi asked.
The PDP chieftain noted that election results may diverge from the expectations of candidates and their supporters, and such outcomes should not automatically be treated as proof of electoral manipulation.
Sowunmi’s comments come amid growing discussions about the 2027 presidential race and the capacity of Nigeria’s political class to uphold democratic norms beyond the ballot box.