The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said opposition parties cannot rely on public dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to win the 2027 general elections, urging them to develop a coherent political strategy and build a united coalition.
The party’s spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said the opposition’s assumption that economic hardship, public discontent and criticism of government policies would automatically translate into electoral victory was politically naïve.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Oladejo argued that electoral success depended on organisation, credible candidates, grassroots mobilisation, coalition management and a convincing programme for governance, rather than merely capitalising on public anger against an incumbent administration.
He said the opposition had spent too much time anticipating the APC’s difficulties instead of resolving its internal disagreements and building a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The opposition’s difficulties are compounded by the assumption that economic hardship, public dissatisfaction, and criticism of government policies will automatically translate into electoral victory,” he said.
“Public discontent may create an opportunity, but it does not determine which party will benefit from it.”
Oladejo also criticised opposition leaders for struggling to reconcile their political ambitions, leadership disagreements and differences over party platforms, power-sharing and candidate selection.
According to him, opposition politicians often find common ground when criticising Tinubu but struggle to maintain unity when deciding who should lead them and how to organise a coordinated electoral campaign.
He said the APC, by contrast, was consolidating its political structures and expanding its alliances under Tinubu’s leadership.
The Lagos APC spokesman cited the party’s 31 governors and the involvement of prominent politicians from other parties in Tinubu’s re-election campaign as evidence of the President’s ability to build alliances across political divides.
He noted that Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, elected on the platform of the Accord Party, had been named coordinator of Tinubu’s presidential campaign in Osun State, while Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, had been assigned a coordinating role in Anambra.
Oladejo also referenced the campaign responsibilities assigned to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party, in Rivers State and the FCT.
He said the appointments illustrated Tinubu’s ability to bring influential political actors together without requiring them to abandon their respective party affiliations.
According to him, the APC’s network of governors, experienced politicians, grassroots mobilisers and campaign strategists gives the party substantial organisational resources ahead of the elections.
However, Oladejo said the presence of prominent political figures alone would not guarantee electoral victory, stressing that their influence must be translated into coordinated mobilisation and effective governance.
He urged the opposition to move beyond criticism of the President and demonstrate that it could manage its internal differences, agree on a common direction and present Nigerians with a credible alternative.
“A shared dislike of an incumbent is not a governing philosophy. A collection of presidential ambitions is not a coalition. Nor does assembling a list of famous politicians automatically produce an electoral machine capable of winning a national contest,” he said.
Oladejo also cautioned the APC against complacency, noting that political endorsements and alliances did not automatically translate into votes.
He said the ruling party would ultimately be judged by its performance in government, the effectiveness of its policies, improvements in citizens’ welfare and its ability to address economic pressures.
The spokesman added that the 2027 elections would depend on organisation, persuasion, credibility and the competing visions presented to Nigerians, rather than the number of prominent politicians supporting either side.
He maintained that the opposition needed to resolve its leadership and organisational challenges if it hoped to mount a competitive challenge against the ruling party.