Charles Udeogaranya, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend any 2027 re-election moves and focus fully on delivering his current four-year mandate.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Udeogaranya argued that talk of re-election, especially by Tinubu’s surrogates, is premature, distracting, and a violation of the Electoral Act.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs to go low and silence his 2027 presidential ambition, particularly from his surrogates, which I think is ill-timed,” Udeogaranya said.
“There is time for everything, and now is the time for governance—at least till June 2026.”
His remarks come just two days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warned political parties and candidates to desist from premature electioneering, noting that it has not released the official timetable for the 2027 general elections.
According to Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, early campaigning—evident in the proliferation of political posters, subtle endorsements, and political exchanges—heats up the polity and undermines the focus on governance.
Udeogaranya, a Zikist ideologue, also expressed concern that the obsession with 2027 politics is already distracting public officials from delivering on their responsibilities, particularly in states like Anambra.
“Political hibernation has a place in politics and it’s carefully executed in order not to pollute or heat the polity, so that governance can enjoy optimum time,” he added.
He warned that early campaigns only drain public resources through endless political meetings and mobilisation, often to the detriment of welfare and development spending.
“No amount of time is enough for politicians to conduct their trade through more meetings, mobilisations, and refreshments on the same dried purse meant for people’s welfare. Therefore, it must be curtailed to gain more time for governance,” he concluded.
