“No Red Carpet”: Tinubu Vows To ‘Wrestle’ Rivals To The Finish In 2027 Re-election Battle

President Bola Tinubu has drawn the battle lines for 2027, declaring he is fully set to seek re-election and daring opponents to “wrestle” him for the presidency.

Tinubu made the statement on Tuesday while hosting the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its president, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at the State House in Abuja.

Dismissing fears about the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the president said the electoral body has remained neutral and has not intimidated any political party.

“I asked for this job. I’m in it. Those who will take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and it’s equal opportunity,” Tinubu said.

“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 company they keep, not me. I’m ready, but I won’t give them a red carpet. I won’t offer them the leash to tie me. No, we wrestle each other to the finishing point.”

The president also defended his administration’s record, saying Nigerians are beginning to see improvements despite the challenges he inherited.

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He pointed to the education and security sectors as early wins, noting that ASUU is not on strike and university students are not facing disruptions.

“None of your children in the university today — and I will say all of them are your children — 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 told the bishops.

On security, Tinubu acknowledged the problems but stressed that Nigerians must stay and fix the country together.

“The security situation is what it is. We don’t have another country, but here, this Nigeria. The challenges are there. I inherited it. I didn’t run away,” he added.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to embrace unity and patriotism, referencing the national anthem: “In this complexity, diversity, we shall thrive, live, rejoice and be good to all of us, as humanity.”

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