The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will secure re-election in the 2027 presidential poll, describing the contest as “a coronation, not an election.”
Keyamo stated this on Thursday while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
The All Progressives Congress chieftain defended the Tinubu administration’s performance and dismissed the chances of the opposition.
Asked whether he could confidently urge Nigerians to vote for APC again, the minister cited the party’s recent electoral victories.
“We have won in Ekiti now. We told them to vote, they voted. FCT they voted, we won,” he said.
When the interviewer pointed out that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, of the African Democratic Congress and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, of the Nigeria Democratic Congress would be on the ballot in 2027, Keyamo insisted he was not worried.
“I’m looking around, between you and me, where will Obi’s votes come from? I can’t see it,” he said.
Asked whether Atiku posed a threat to the APC, Keyamo responded, “Which Atiku? Nightmare who?” before laughing.
The minister concluded by declaring that Tinubu’s re-election was all but certain.
“I want to make a profound statement as a closing statement. Not out of arrogance, not out of overconfidence, but out of pure demographic calculations: the 2027 election is a coronation, not an election.
“I repeat—don’t take me out of context—out of pure demographic calculations, it’s a coronation,” he said.
Tinubu is expected to seek a second term on the APC platform alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 election.
His main challengers include Atiku and Obi, who is contesting with former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as his running mate.
Together, the three candidates are expected to dominate what is shaping up to be a highly competitive multi-party presidential contest.
