Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will secure a decisive victory in the 2027 presidential election, even if opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi form a united coalition.

 

Fayose made the bold assertions during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, arguing that a fragmented opposition will only guarantee an easier path to reelection for the incumbent president.

 

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### "Even If They Come Together, This Man Will Defeat Them"

 

Analyzing the geopolitical dynamics ahead of the 2027 polls, Fayose pointed out that a three-way contest involving Atiku, Obi, and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso would split votes across regional strongholds—mirroring the voting patterns of the 2023 elections.

 

> *"A three-way horse, maybe I am not putting it right. Atiku is there, Obi is there. Even if they come together, this man will still defeat them. But let us say they don’t come together, too bad for them because this election will be balkanised,"* Fayose stated.

 

The former governor predicted that the South-West alone would deliver a voting margin of at least six million votes for Tinubu, projecting that the president will secure upwards of **12 million votes nationwide** in 2027.

 

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### "The South Must Complete Eight Years"

 

Addressing power rotation, Fayose insisted that the presidency must remain in Southern Nigeria for a full eight-year tenure before returning to the North.

 

He argued that supporting Tinubu offers Northern politicians the fastest route to reclaiming the presidency in 2031:

 

* **The Eight-Year Dilemma:** Fayose noted that if a new candidate like Atiku or Obi were elected, they would naturally seek two terms (8 years), delaying the North's turn.

* **The Shortest Path to Power:** Supporting Tinubu’s second term ensures that power rotates back to the North by 2031.

 

> *"The reality today is this power is coming to the South, the South must do eight years... Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the shortest point to power going back to the North. Any Northerner contesting now is just contesting,"* he added.

 

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### "To Rig Election Now Is Very Difficult"

 

Dismissing claims that future elections could be easily manipulated, Fayose argued that technological advancements and electoral reforms have made rigging nearly impossible. He credited his political outlook to decades of field experience and maintained that his support for the administration is driven by visible progress in infrastructure and economic reforms.

 

**Political Context:**

 

* **PDP Member in an APC Role:** Despite remaining a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fayose currently serves as the Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) board, following an appointment by President Tinubu.

* **G5 Legacy:** Fayose was an influential member of the G5 PDP governors' alliance that openly opposed Atiku Abubakar’s presidential run during the 2023 elections.