The group also warned former President Goodluck Jonathan against returning to the race, saying doing so would “end in embarrassment.”
Speaking on Tuesday during the inauguration of local government structures across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State, the PNT Director-General, Mr. Olumide Obadele, said beyond legal hurdles, Jonathan should uphold his reputation as a statesman by staying away from the 2027 race.
According to him, opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress, are “on life support,” and any candidate contesting on their platform, including Jonathan, cannot defeat President Tinubu.
Obadele dismissed claims that the All Progressives Congress was jittery over Jonathan’s rumoured ambition, saying constitutional and legal constraints make his participation nearly impossible.
He said, “I can tell you that Jonathan will not run at the end of the day. The Constitution is clear about it, and there’s no need to twist it. If he insists, he will only end up embarrassed and rubbished.”
Obadele described the 2027 presidential election as “a done deal” for the APC, insisting that none of the existing opposition parties has the structure or clout to unseat President Tinubu.
“Political parties such as the PDP, Labour Party and ADC are in the ICU and lack the organisation and national appeal needed to challenge the ruling APC. I do not think any opposition party in Nigeria today can say it wants to run against Asiwaju. For me, 2027 is a done deal,” he said.
On the group’s mobilisation efforts for the President, the PNT convener said the group was working to expand grassroots participation, particularly in Ondo State, where only about 28 per cent of registered voters participated in the last general elections.
He lamented the growing voter apathy among elites who prefer to engage politics on social media rather than at the polls, saying civic engagement and political education were now the focus of PNT’s activities.
“Our goal is to awaken the remaining 70 per cent of voters who stayed home during the last polls. We’re engaging communities, civil groups and youth organisations to enlighten them about Asiwaju’s leadership and achievements. We want Yoruba land to stand solidly behind him,” he said.
meanwhile Amid the rumour of Jonathan return, a legal practitioner, Johnmary Jideobi, on Monday, filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
