By Osaretin Osadebamwen
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has declared that the 2027 presidential election will be a “coronation” rather than a fiercely contested poll, expressing confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will secure a second term.
Keyamo made the remarks on Thursday during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he attributed his prediction to what he described as “demographic calculations” and the growing support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I want to make a profound statement. Not out of arrogance. Not out of overconfidence. But out of pure demographic calculations,” Keyamo said during the interview.
He added: “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.”
The minister argued that President Tinubu’s performance in office would convince Nigerians to renew his mandate, saying he would confidently campaign for the President’s re-election based on what he described as significant achievements across several sectors.
According to Keyamo, the APC’s recent electoral victories, including its success in the Ekiti State governorship election and the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reflect the party’s growing acceptance among Nigerian voters.
He maintained that those victories demonstrated the electorate’s confidence in the ruling party and its leadership, insisting that the APC had continued to strengthen its political base ahead of the next general election.
“We told them to vote. They voted and we won. We won already,” Keyamo said while reflecting on the party’s recent electoral successes.
The minister also dismissed the prospects of opposition parties, saying he could not see how candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) would secure enough votes to challenge the APC in 2027.
Speaking directly to the programme’s anchor, Keyamo questioned the opposition’s electoral strength, saying, “Where will these votes come from? I can’t see. Where will it come from? I don’t see where it will come from.”
His comments come as political parties continue early consultations and strategic preparations ahead of the 2027 general election, with both the ruling APC and opposition parties expected to intensify political activities in the coming months
