Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
President Bola Tinubu has issued a fierce and unambiguous declaration of his determination to seek re-election in the 2027 presidential race, warning political opponents that they would have to "wrestle" him to the finish line if they hope to unseat him. The President made the remarks on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, during a meeting with the leadership of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the State House in Abuja, where he also defended the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and touted the achievements of his administration .
Addressing the bishops, led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, Tinubu dismissed any notion that he would make the path to the presidency easy for his challengers. "Those who would take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and there is equal opportunity," the President declared . He added, "I'm ready, but I won't give them a red carpet. I won't offer them the leash to tie me and rope me. No, we wrestle each other to the finishing point" . The statement, which has been widely interpreted as a direct challenge to his main rivals—Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)—underscores the President's resolve to secure a second term in office .
During the meeting, Tinubu also pushed back against opposition concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process, insisting that INEC remains impartial and has not intimidated any political actor. "INEC is neutral. They've never, never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolves, maybe they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the companies they keep, not me," he said . The President's defence of the electoral body comes amid growing unease among opposition parties, who have voiced fears over the credibility of the polls scheduled for January and February 2027 .
Beyond the political rhetoric, Tinubu used the opportunity to defend his administration's record, telling the clerics that three years of difficult reforms were yielding visible dividends for ordinary Nigerians. He pointed to the uninterrupted academic calendar in public universities as a key achievement, noting that the absence of prolonged strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had brought relief to families across the country. "None of your children in university today—and I would say they are all your children because you are Reverend Fathers—can say a four-year course is not four years. ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers? To me, that's an answer," he said . The remark follows ASUU's history of prolonged industrial action, which between 1999 and 2022 totalled more than five years of lost academic time, including a nine-month strike in 2022, the longest in the union's history .
On the broader economic picture, Tinubu acknowledged that he had inherited both the assets and liabilities of the previous administration but insisted that stabilisation had been achieved and that better days were within reach. "This government has stabilised, and there is prosperity on the horizon. The quality of life is improving," he said, adding that he had not shirked the burden of difficult decisions. "I inherited it. I didn't run away. I asked for this job. I'm in it," he added .
The President also addressed the long-standing issue of mission schools, a point of contention between the Catholic Church and several state governments. Tinubu noted that he had returned mission schools to the Church during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and urged the bishops to engage state governors directly on the matter, arguing that the power to act lies with them rather than the Federal Government. "The schools are in the states. Preach to them, the governors of your states. They do the job. There is no need for a constitutional amendment for that. That is part of democracy. Choice," he said .
On national unity and security, the President described Nigeria's challenges as a generational issue that could not be escaped, stating: "The security situation is what it is. We don't have another country but here. This Nigeria" . He also spoke of the nation's founding fathers, saying they "did their best; they lived for the nation, and we owe it to our generations yet unborn to build the nation of unity, stability and prosperity for the future" .
The meeting, which lasted barely an hour, also provided an opportunity for the Catholic bishops to raise concerns over insecurity, poverty, access to quality tertiary education, and the need for credible elections in 2027 . Archbishop Ndagoso urged the President to consider the return of mission schools and ensure equal treatment for all worshippers, while also calling on the Federal Government to guarantee free, fair, and peaceful elections in 2027 .
As the 2027 general election draws closer—with the presidential poll scheduled for January 16, 2027, and governorship and state assembly elections set for February 6, 2027—Tinubu's defiant message has set the stage for what promises to be a fiercely contested political battle . With his main challengers already positioning themselves for the race, the President has made it clear that he will not surrender power without a fight. "Those who would take it from me will try. They will try," he said. "But I won't give them a red carpet. No, we will wrestle each other to the finishing point" .
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