The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has condemned the recent endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid by the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a “desperate” bid to cling to power rather than a reflection of democratic will.
In a statement issued in Abuja, PRP National Chairman Mallam Falalu Bello accused the APC’s National Working Committee, Progressive Governors Forum, and National Assembly of orchestrating a “Pyrrhic” endorsement strategy at the party’s National Summit.
Recall that the ruling APC had unanimously adopted Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate come 2027.
The PRP argued that such maneuvers ignore Nigeria’s pressing socioeconomic crises and the electorate’s growing disillusionment.
Drawing parallels to failed regimes in Africa, the PRP cited Ivory Coast’s 2010 election, where then-President Laurent Gbagbo’s “fake endorsements and propaganda” collapsed under public rejection amid economic despair. Similarly, Zambia’s 2021 election saw Edgar Lungu’s political machinery overturned by Hakainde Hichilema’s grassroots campaign, which channeled voter anger into electoral victory.
“Hunger doesn’t forget,” the PRP stated, emphasizing that voter priorities are shaped by lived hardships. The statement also referenced Gambia’s 2016 ouster of Yahya Jammeh, whose authoritarian grip dissolved when citizens and even security forces rejected his refusal to accept defeat.
The PRP asserted that Tinubu’s “orchestrated endorsements” cannot mask Nigeria’s crises, including soaring fuel prices, unemployment, insecurity, and infrastructural decay. “When citizens whisper, ‘This is not what we voted for,’ it signals a rupture between leadership and the people,” the party warned, adding that economic suffering and corruption will outweigh political theatrics in 2027.
The APC’s move, according to the PRP, reflects a “desperate power grab” prioritizing party dominance over governance. “Democracy isn’t about endorsements; it’s about dignity, security, and service,” the statement read.
Urging the APC and Tinubu to focus on “tangible democratic dividends,” the PRP vowed solidarity with Nigerians demanding “real change.” It cautioned that power rooted in manipulation, rather than public trust, is destined to fail.
The statement added that “The future belongs to leaders who understand that legitimacy flows from the people’s pain and aspirations—not political stagecraft.”
