Senator Ali Ndume has warned that President Bola Tinubu risks being voted out in 2027 if he fails to urgently address widespread economic hardship and rising public frustration, drawing a sharp comparison with the 2015 electoral loss of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Borno South senator issued the caution on Sunday during an interview on Politics Today, a political programme aired on Channels Television.
Ndume referenced the defeat of Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election despite overwhelming support from party loyalists and state governors. Jonathan, who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was defeated by then-opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Buhari won with 15,424,921 votes against Jonathan’s 12,853,162.
“Tinubu could be given the Jonathan treatment because Jonathan also had 22 governors who endorsed him like we did now. And what happened? Jonathan lost woefully,” Ndume said, drawing a direct line between the past and present political climate.
While Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023, has received endorsements from several APC governors and political figures, Ndume believes that such support may not be enough to secure electoral victory if the president fails to respond decisively to the nation’s economic crisis.
“We are not learning our lesson. I pity Mr. President. Even though he once said this is not the time for campaigns, look around—the campaigning has already started under the guise of endorsements,” he added.
The senator criticised ongoing speculations that some APC leaders are considering automatic return tickets for National Assembly members, warning that such moves could alienate grassroots supporters whom he described as essential to the party’s electoral fortunes.
“When the rumour came that National Assembly members might get automatic tickets, the party denied it. So, who will be the foot soldiers? You cannot rely on governors alone,” he queried.
Ndume urged the president to move swiftly and adopt policies that genuinely impact the daily lives of Nigerians, stating that time remains for Tinubu to regain public trust.
“There’s still time to turn things around. The suffering we’re talking about is just within two years. If in the next two years, the president can make Nigerians happy—really happy—then nobody will contest against him,” he said.
Tinubu has faced mounting criticism in recent months over rising inflation, naira depreciation, and growing food and fuel costs—problems compounded by the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the currency.
While his administration has introduced reforms it claims are aimed at long-term stability, many Nigerians are yet to feel the impact, with public discontent spreading across regions and social groups.
