National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has predicted defeat for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, provided the exercise is credible, free and fair.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Baba-Ahmed said the outcome of the recent Osun State governorship election showed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could be beaten at the polls.

He argued that the APC’s control of the presidency, National Assembly and 31 states had not translated into political security for Tinubu, whom he accused of presiding over a worsening national situation.

Baba-Ahmed pointed to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in Osun as evidence that opposition parties could defeat the APC without forming a coalition against it.

“I saw the now sworn-in Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State speak in a very confident, very comfortable manner. APC was trounced in Osun. We didn’t even see a coalition or collaboration or a gang-up against the APC. Parties all competed against one another. Yet, APC was defeated,” he said.

He dismissed reports of a possible political understanding between Tinubu and Adeleke, saying the result should instead be viewed as proof that the ruling party could be defeated through the ballot box.

“We have even heard stories that there was a deal between President Tinubu and Governor Ademola Adeleke. But we don’t believe that. We believe that the ruling party, Accord Party, defeated APC comprehensively. There’s no reason why this cannot repeat itself at a national level,” he added.

The PRP chairman was also scathing in his assessment of the APC, describing it as a party consumed by internal contradictions.

“APC is not a party. It is a monster eating itself up and eating everybody up,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He further questioned why Tinubu would remain politically unsettled despite what he described as overwhelming control of the country’s political structures.

“You have a party that has a president who is quite possibly the most powerful president, who has either given himself or been given by the people around him the most awesome powers to do anything he wants. You have a president who believes he must have all the power around him,” he said.

“He appears to have garnered the support of 31 governors and quite possibly about 75 per cent of the National Assembly, yet he’s still uncomfortable. It’s politically monstrous.”

Baba-Ahmed said the credibility of the 2027 election would ultimately determine Tinubu’s fate, warning that any manipulation of the process could have serious consequences for the country.

“If it’s a credible, free and fair election, I assure you, Tinubu will lose. I won’t say before 12 noon. Maybe before 4 pm,” he said.

He also cautioned against prematurely commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the commission would have to prove its impartiality by conducting a credible presidential election.

“Nobody should praise INEC until it can actually conduct an election in which the President is a contestant. I hope the election will be credible, free and fair. If it’s not, I foresee a very serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.”