2027 Elections: Analyst Speaks On Atiku's Path to Victory Against Tinubu

• Dare Akinniyi of the New Democratic Frontiers argues that Atiku Abubakar's route to the presidency in 2027 is becoming increasingly credible
• Nigeria's headline inflation climbed from 9% in 2015 to over 33% in 2024, with public debt now standing at ₦159.28 trillion, creating headwinds for the APC
• Atiku pulled 6.9 million votes and won 12 states in 2023, and now carries the ADC's 2027 presidential ticket with a firm grip on Northern voting blocs

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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja - With Nigeria's 2027 general elections less than eight months away, a political analyst has argued that African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is currently the opposition figure best positioned to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, spokesperson for the New Democratic Frontiers (NDF) and AA Connect, cited economic conditions, structural opposition dynamics, and Atiku's electoral track record as the central planks of his argument.

Akinniyi made the assessment during an exclusive chat with Legit.ng over the weekend.

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Why Atiku's path to victory is clear

Akinniyi pointed to a difficult economic backdrop as the primary vulnerability facing the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the vote.

Headline inflation, which stood at roughly 9% when the APC came to power in 2015, climbed to over 33% in 2024 before easing to 15.91%.

According to Akinniyi, food prices have been the sharpest source of hardship for ordinary Nigerians.

Nigeria's public debt tells a similar story. External debt that stood at approximately $10 billion in 2015 has swollen to $42 billion by 2023, with total public debt now reaching ₦159.28 trillion, equivalent to $110.97 billion, according to the Debt Management Office's most recent figures.

Akinniyi argued that with over 20 APC governors, President Tinubu still risks the fate of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who lost the 2015 election despite the institutional weight of incumbency behind him.

Atiku's Northern stronghold

He said Atiku secured 6.9 million votes and won 12 states in his last outing, sweeping Adamawa, Gombe, and Taraba while remaining competitive in Kano and Kaduna.

Akinniyi described this Northern base as a decisive factor, noting that the region consistently delivers the highest voter turnout in presidential contests.

The Atiku supporters said that across the 19 Northern states, conditions are emerging that make it difficult for many candidates to openly campaign for President Tinubu.

Speaking further, Akinniyi argued that southern votes are already fragmenting across multiple contenders.

He said this is a dynamic that could concentrate the opposition's effective challenge in the North and make Atiku's consolidated bloc all the more significant.

Akinniyi concluded by saying that Atiku does not need a reinvention of his political platform.

He said Atiku's task in 2027 is to win back voters who sat out the last election, and those who have since reconsidered their 2023 choice.

Cleric releases prophecy on winner of 2027 election

Recall that a Nigerian cleric, Monday Akingbade, predicted the outcome of the forthcoming 2027 presidential election in the country

Nigeria's general elections have been set for early 2027, with President Tinubu of the ruling APC seeking a second term in office.

Atiku, Peter Obi, Adewole Adebayo, Omoyele Sowore, and other candidates are challenging President Tinubu.

Atiku slams Tinubu over 2026 budget

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Atiku described the 2026 Federal Budget as the most brazen assault on transparency in Nigeria's democratic history.

The Service-Wide Vote in the 2026 Appropriation Act ballooned from ₦638 billion to ₦12.8 trillion, a near 1,918% rise in one year.

Atiku demanded the National Assembly launch a line-by-line investigation into the allocations and asked who the workers earning ₦2.19 trillion in personnel costs are.