President Bola Tinubu’s special adviser on policy communication, Daniel Bwala, has indicated that the 2027 presidential election might be the final chance for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to vie for the Nigerian presidency.
Bwala expressed this view in a post on X, suggesting that Atiku’s campaign promise to reinstate the fuel subsidy, if elected, stems from his belief that 2027 might be his last opportunity to run for president.
During his inauguration in May 2023, President Tinubu announced the removal of Nigeria’s petrol subsidy, a decision that altered the country’s fuel pricing system and sparked extensive debate.
Atiku is anticipated to contest in the 2027 presidential election under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) banner. He has called for the reintroduction of the subsidy, advocating for measures to reduce the impact of fuel costs on the Nigerian populace.
In response, Bwala suggested that Atiku is using populist rhetoric to sway voters. “Since 2027 is likely to be his last shot at the presidency, he chose to gamble on the populist slogan of ‘I will bring back the fuel subsidy,'” Bwala stated.
Bwala further noted that Atiku might feel he has little to lose by adopting this stance. However, he cautioned that running a populist campaign requires one to be genuinely popular with the people.
These remarks emerge amid intensified political activity and strategic realignments as prominent figures and their parties prepare for the upcoming presidential election in 2027.
