Professor Udenta O. Udenta, the founding National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), has suggested that President Bola Tinubu is likely to secure a second term in office in 2027 unless certain conditions change.[/p>
During an interview, Udenta expressed concern over the shrinking civic space and the inability of opposition parties to effectively hold the government accountable.[/p>
He argued that without significant social action and a strong opposition, Tinubu’s path to reelection would be effortless. According to him, the current situation presents little challenge to the president’s chances of retaining power in the next election cycle.[/p>
To create a vibrant political environment ahead of the 2027 elections, Udenta emphasized the need for organized labor to operate freely, for the media to remain independent, and for civic spaces to stay open and active. He pointed out that unless these essential conditions are met, there will be no significant pushback against the government, allowing the incumbent to maintain control with minimal resistance.[/p>
Without these reforms, Udenta told The Sun, Tinubu would face little resistance in his bid for a second term. He also remarked that the current lack of organized opposition, with fragmented political parties and limited public protest, would only strengthen Tinubu’s chances of remaining in power. According to Udenta, the opposition parties have struggled with internal conflicts, making it difficult for them to unite and present a real challenge to the government’s policies.[/p>
“But physically with 2027 and beyond, as I said, every government that comes as part of its mandate, especially this particular government to dismantle those guardrails that will protect the people and democratic order. One, the opposition parties are run by crisis, sometimes generated from outside. Labour is pushed to the limit of despair. The media is harassed from pillar to post. Civic spaces are shrinking.[/p>
“What we need to do is to start recomposing these spaces and domains. The site of resistance and protest must be reconstituted. Civic spaces must be there. See what happened with the kids who were tried unjustly and illegally. Their story is even gone. They got out of jail, they rode into a vehicle, they entered the villa, they got a pat on the back, got biscuit and Fanta. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) is not held accountable, the Attorney General is not held accountable, and the police officers are not held accountable.
“I didn’t see people populate the Unity Fountain the way they did with the #Bring-Back-Our-Girls. We need to see a consort of opposition parties, civic space agitators and empowered civic space leaders, labour and national unions populating that Unity Fountain every day with placards, saying we are agitating for two or three things. Labour should be left free to do its job. The media must be left off the hook and civic spaces should not shrink.
