From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The National Financial Secretary of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Rev. Emmanuel Olorunmagba, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s policies are sound and capable of moving the country forward.
Olorunmagba, who was also a candidate for the House of Representatives in the Kabba-Bunu Federal Constituency of Kogi State in 2023 and later in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election in Kaduna State in 2025, however, warned that poor implementation could undermine the policies.
He cautioned that, unless urgent steps are taken to ensure proper execution, the lapses in implementation might cost President Tinubu his re-election bid in 2027.
The NRM chieftain, who is also the president and founder of the Total Liberation Mission and Emmanuel Evangelistic Outreach, an interdenominational ministry based in Kaduna, cautioned President Tinubu against repeating the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2027 election.
The talk of the 2027 general election is already in the air, two years to the election. Don’t you think it is too early?
Usually, two years into a new democratic administration, politicians always begin to align and realign, perfecting their moves towards the political platforms they think they can ride as vehicles to achieve their aim of holding political office. Then the next year being the third year (and one year to the next election year) will be for preparation for political party primaries, then campaign year down to the election year when election will take place early in the year between February and March towards the May 29 handing over. Therefore, it’s the usual thing that politicians have started preparing ahead of the 2027 general elections since campaigning will officially start late next year 2026. However, the tempo at which politicians heat up the polity two years into the administration of president Bola Tinubu is abnormal. But considering the challenges bedeviling the country, one will also not blame the politicians as such. Because the speed at which president Tinubu further crashed the economy of Nigeria and crashing the entire system is seriously alarming. Ordinarily, Nigerians expected that if Tinubu cannot rescue Nigeria from the economic wreckage brought by the last administration of the late president Muhammadu Buhari, at least he should not perform more woefully.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Coalition is busy wooing other opposition parties to its fold. Is your party, NRM, going to be part of the coalition?
Point of correction, there is nothing called coalition for now in Nigeria. What we only witnessed is that some politicians that have failed this country one way or another now gathered together, bought over a political party called African Democratic Party (ADC) and codenamed the take over as “coalition”. No! It’s not a coalition and it’s not even anything close to coalition, but the taking over of a party by desperate politicians to use as a platform to attempt to achieve their political ambition. If it’s a coalition, why are they attempting to force others that are still in different parties to officially decamp from their party after the main actors have decamped from their party? Therefore, ADC is one political party bought over and not a coalition of different parties. Take for instance, ahead of the 2019 and 2023 general elections, there was a group under the name, Coalition of United Political Party (CUPP) that supported Atiku as the presidential candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Members of the CUPP were from different political parties and none of them was forced to decamp from his party. Rather they worked together for the common goal of supporting Atiku, despite their political party differences. And at other levels (governor, senate, Rep, Assembly etc) nobody in the coalition was forced to support any other PDP candidate, except if their political party doesn’t have candidate for the position and the individual has personal conviction to support another candidate for the position.Therefore, ADC is another political party like other political parties, but some desperate politicians only bought it over as one political party and not as coalition for their ambition. My political party, National Rescue Movement (NRM) is a party built on ideology and part of our aims is to rescue our dear country, Nigeria, from these same old sit-tight politicians, who have contributed one way or another in destroying the country. And to ensure that one younger and more vibrant Nigerian with positive antecedent who truly desires a better and new Nigeria take over power as the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We cannot align with the same set of people that we want to rescue our dear country from. In fact, I am bold to declare that the present ADC belongs to Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, specifically to serve as a political platform to contest as president in 2027. And you can note this today that Atiku is so desperate to take over Aso Rock by all means, hence on no account will he allow any other person except himself to emerge as ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election. So, he is the owner of ADC and the owner of ADC presidential ticket for 2027. Therefore, my political party, NRM being a party built on positive pro-Nigerians ideology will not be part of any support for ADC. Rather NRM will present our own presidential candidate, that will be younger, more vibrant and ready to rescue Nigeria from the present deep gulf of economic comatose, and one that has the will power and wherewithal to lead the country to take her place again as the real giant of Africa and a country we can be truly proud of among comity of nations. And I make bold to declare that NRM will surely be used by God to rescue Nigeria as we take over Aso Rock by 2027.
Which geopolitical zone can unseat Tinubu in 2027?
The North has already completed two terms of eight uninterrupted years despite the abysmal failure of late president Buhari. So, considering the unwritten rotational principle based on gentleman agreement, it will take a vibrant presidential candidate from the south to defeat the incumbent, president Tinubu by 2027; so that the south can complete their own 8 years before it will become the turn of the North. It’s this rotational principle that Atiku alluded to in 2014 when during a PDP National Convention at the Eagle’s Square he stormed out with five PDP governors and later joined APC to defeat the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election, kicking PDP into opposition till today. Funny enough the same Atiku is now gathering the politicians that failed the country and are now old and supposed to have retired in ADC calling it a coalition. But for the purpose of scheming to be next president after 4 years of a southern president if Nigerians will fall for their schemes. Obviously Atiku only talks about and promotes rotational presidency when it favours his desperate ambition. But when it doesn’t favour him, he will coin out narrative to jettison rotation.
Can hardship, tax reforms, insecurity derail Tinubu’s re-election?
Without gainsaying, some of President Tinubu’s policies are very good, but they have been wrongly implemented and poorly timed. As a result, they have become counterproductive, producing unintended outcomes. The removal of fuel subsidy and the tax reforms you mentioned are policies that could have brought huge benefits to Nigerians if properly executed and appropriately timed.
Instead, these policies have inflicted untold hardship on citizens, with hunger biting hard in many families. This poor implementation will undoubtedly affect Tinubu’s re-election bid. Nigerians are hungry, and if they go to the polls determined to rescue their country, refusing to allow the ruling party to use hunger as a tool to buy their votes, no manipulation can return Tinubu to Aso Rock.
However, after what happened during the 2025 Bye-Elections that I participated in, where people sold their votes for as low as between N3,000 to N1,000; the pertinent question now is, can Nigerians resist the temptations to sell their votes in 2027?
Despite government claims that insecurity is under control, kidnappings and killings persist. What’s your reaction?
Compared to Buhari’s era, insecurity has reduced, but it remains rampant. In Kaduna, where I’m based, things are less critical, but no administration deserves a pass mark until insecurity is eradicated. With true willpower, it shouldn’t take a year to end insecurity in Nigeria. Instead, the government negotiates and even rewards bandits, turning terrorism into a “lucrative business.”
The Muslim-Muslim ticket debate is heating up ahead of 2027. What’s your view?
If Tinubu repeats it, it will be his undoing. In 2023, Nigerians hadn’t tested his administration. By 2027, many already regret it. Adding a divisive ticket will only speed up his defeat.
Some northern leaders say Tinubu hasn’t done enough for the North. Do you agree?
Though I oppose his government for the hardship it has caused, I admit he has done something for the North. In Southern Kaduna, people commend the new Federal University of Applied Sciences, the Federal Medical Center, and the appointment of a son of the soil as Chief of Defense Staff.
If Atiku contests against Tinubu in 2027, can he defeat him?
Atiku will surely run again, but 2027 will likely be his worst outing. His best chance was in 2019. Insisting on the PDP ticket in 2023 sank the party, and now he’s moved to ADC. At his age, he can’t win. At this point, it seems he’s chasing a Guinness World Record for the most failed presidential bids.
PDP may draft Jonathan, and LP may present Obi. Won’t three challengers split votes and ease Tinubu’s re-election?
I don’t see Jonathan contesting in 2027, not even under PDP. I also doubt Obi will run under the Labour Party. The truth is, Tinubu, through Nyesom Wike, has weakened both PDP and LP. Wike holds PDP through Sam Anyanwu and LP through Julius Abure. Neither party looks capable of mounting a serious challenge. But I believe God will raise a “David” from an unexpected place to rescue Nigeria.
In fairness, which area has Tinubu’s government performed well?
Roads. We’ve seen progress in Abuja, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, and other projects. Some policies like local government autonomy, floating the naira, tax reforms, and subsidy removal are good ideas, but poor execution has turned them into sources of hardship.
Tinubu may appoint another INEC chairman before 2027. What should Nigerians expect?
Ideally, someone credible and independent. Realistically, Tinubu will appoint someone loyal who can secure his re-election. That’s the flaw in our system, the president appoints the referee in an election he’s contesting.
Politicians are already defecting ahead of 2027. What’s your take?
The same recycled elites dominate politics, moving between APC, PDP, and now ADC. These are people who have ruined the country since their youth yet refuse to step aside. They still tell youths they’re the “leaders of tomorrow.” But when will tomorrow come?
If Nigeria must be rescued, youths must step up, contest, and stop selling votes for N1,000 or N3,000. Selling votes keeps corrupt politicians in power. Change won’t come from social media complaints, it must come from bold action.
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