Wike 2027 re-election claim says Tinubu’s victory is already secured, as the FCT minister mocks Dele Momodu over Ademola Adeleke
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike declared in Abuja that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid for 2027 was effectively settled, while taking a pointed swipe at African Democratic Congress, ADC, chieftain Dele Momodu over his efforts to attract Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to the opposition party.
Also read: Adeleke Rejects APC Defection Rumours After Tinubu Visit
Speaking to journalists in the Nigerian capital, Wike, a former Rivers State governor and prominent political ally of President Tinubu, made the striking assertion that the next presidential election had already been decided.
“This election has been concluded and there is nothing anyone can do about it,” Wike said.
His comment comes more than a year before Nigerians are due to vote in the 2027 presidential election and has already raised a broader question about how political certainty is being projected ahead of a contest that has not yet taken place.
Wike’s intervention also carried a personal political edge. He directed his criticism at Dele Momodu, an ADC chieftain who has been publicly associated with efforts to persuade Adeleke to align with the opposition party.
“I don’t know where Dele Momodu will be now,” Wike said, before mocking Momodu’s repeated references to his connection with Ile-Ife in Osun State.
“Every time, you will see him on TV saying, ‘I was born in Ife,’ thinking that would make Adeleke come to the ADC side,” he added.
The remarks followed Adeleke’s recent meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, a visit that has itself generated speculation about the Osun governor’s political future.
Adeleke’s Imole Campaign Council has rejected reports that the meeting was linked to a possible move to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The council said the visit was a customary political engagement after the conclusion of the Osun governorship election and insisted that no discussion about defection took place.
Adeleke, who won re-election on the Accord Party platform, has also publicly indicated that joining the APC is not currently on his agenda.
His position adds another layer to the political contest over his allegiance as opposition parties seek to strengthen their position ahead of 2027.
Wike’s latest comments are therefore significant beyond their immediate political rhetoric.
They come at a time when opposition parties are attempting to build a coalition capable of challenging the APC and Tinubu, while the ruling party is seeking to consolidate its position ahead of the presidential contest.
The ADC has emerged as one of the opposition platforms attracting attention as politicians consider possible alliances before 2027.
Momodu has been among those involved in efforts to broaden the party’s reach, including engagement with political figures in states where opposition strength could prove important.
Wike’s remarks also revive a recurring feature of Nigerian electoral politics: the tendency for senior politicians to make confident predictions about election outcomes long before voters cast their ballots.
His assertion that the election has already been concluded is political rhetoric rather than an electoral result.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, remains responsible for conducting the 2027 election and declaring its eventual outcome.
The statement is consequently likely to fuel debate over the competitiveness of the next presidential race, particularly amid allegations from some political quarters that the outcome is already being shaped in favour of the ruling APC.
For Tinubu’s supporters, Wike’s confidence reflects their belief that the President has built sufficient political momentum to secure another term.
For critics, however, declaring an election settled before voting takes place risks undermining public confidence in the democratic process.
The political battle ahead is still expected to involve negotiations, alliances and possible defections, with the opposition seeking a common strategy and the APC working to preserve its electoral advantage.
Wike’s message, however, is unequivocal: in his assessment, Tinubu’s return to the presidency in 2027 is already beyond serious challenge.
Also read: Adeleke Rejects APC Defection Rumours After Tinubu Visit
Whether that confidence translates into an electoral victory will ultimately be decided not by political declarations in Abuja, but by Nigerian voters when the country goes to the polls.
