Give Tinubu Space to Work!”, APC Chieftain Slams Party Politicians Already Chasing 2027 Positions.
Political Report | TheDailyCourierNG
Osun party leader warns early election campaigning is sabotaging presidential performance
An influential All Progressives Congress leader has delivered a stinging rebuke to party politicians already positioning themselves for the 2027 elections, warning that their premature power struggles are sabotaging President Bola Tinubu’s ability to govern effectively.
Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a prominent APC chieftain in Osun State, didn’t mince words when he told party colleagues to back off and allow the president to focus on the massive challenges facing Nigeria instead of getting distracted by political jockeying that’s still more than a year away.
Speaking to journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye painted a picture of a president under siege – not from opposition parties, but from his own party members who seem more interested in securing future positions than supporting current governance efforts.
“Some people are already jostling to be Vice President,” Oyintiloye revealed, exposing the extent to which 2027 politics has infiltrated current party discussions. “The President is facing serious tasks to keep the economy healthy, defeat the evil of insurgency, and fix critical infrastructure. Those efforts are no longer being supported.”
His frustration was evident as he described the situation as “nauseating, to say the least.” The timing couldn’t be more inappropriate, he argued, with Nigeria grappling with economic challenges, security threats, and infrastructure deficits that require the president’s undivided attention.
The APC chieftain’s comments reveal a growing tension within the ruling party between those focused on governance and those already calculating political advantages for the next election cycle. His warning that “the noise made by these political opportunists, hell-bent on causing distractions, is capable of slowing down the progress already recorded” suggests that internal party politics may be hampering government effectiveness.
What makes Oyintiloye’s intervention particularly significant is his timing and positioning. As an established party figure speaking from Osun State – a crucial southwestern stronghold – his words carry weight beyond mere personal opinion. They represent a faction within the APC that believes early election positioning is counterproductive to party and national interests.
“The 2027 election is still over a year and a half away, yet those chasing positions won’t allow the President to work. That must stop forthwith,” he declared, setting a clear boundary between governance time and political campaign season.
His appeal goes beyond just criticizing early campaigning. Oyintiloye is essentially calling for a political ceasefire within the APC ranks, urging party members to prioritize national development over personal ambition. “What the President needs at this point is our collective support, prayers, and solidarity—not unnecessary clamour for power struggles ahead of 2027,” he emphasized.
The intervention highlights a fundamental challenge facing Nigerian democracy: the tendency for political actors to begin campaigning for the next election almost immediately after winning the previous one. This constant election mode can undermine governance by shifting focus from policy implementation to political positioning.
Oyintiloye’s criticism becomes even more pointed when he mentions politicians discussing “even 2031 elections,” suggesting that some party members are thinking two election cycles ahead while current challenges remain unresolved. This long-term political planning, while perhaps strategically smart, may be premature when immediate governance issues demand attention.
The Osun APC leader’s comments also reflect a broader debate within the ruling party about President Tinubu’s performance and future prospects. While some party members are already positioning themselves for various roles in a potential second Tinubu administration, others like Oyintiloye are arguing that such discussions are premature and potentially harmful.
His reference to the president “delivering good governance, which he has been doing over the last few months” suggests an attempt to build support for Tinubu’s current performance while simultaneously arguing for more time and space to demonstrate results.
The timing of these comments is particularly interesting given recent political developments within the APC, including leadership changes and state-level political realignments. Oyintiloye’s call for unity and focus on governance may be partly motivated by concerns that internal party divisions could weaken the APC’s position ahead of 2027.
His appeal for “collective support, prayers, and solidarity” frames the issue in terms of party loyalty and national interest, suggesting that early election positioning represents a form of disloyalty to both the party and the country.
The broader implications of Oyintiloye’s intervention extend beyond internal APC politics. His call for politicians to focus on governance rather than future elections touches on a systemic issue in Nigerian politics where the permanent campaign cycle can undermine effective governance.
Whether other APC leaders will heed his call remains to be seen. The reality of Nigerian politics is that early positioning often determines electoral success, creating a tension between the desire for effective governance and the necessity of political preparation.
For President Tinubu, Oyintiloye’s intervention represents both support and pressure. While the APC chieftain is calling for space to govern, he’s also implicitly setting expectations for performance that will justify such protection from political distractions.
The question now is whether the APC can maintain internal discipline long enough to allow Tinubu the focused governance period that Oyintiloye advocates, or whether the natural momentum of political ambition will continue to create the distractions he warns against.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with significant economic and security challenges, the debate over when political campaign season should begin versus when governance should take priority reflects deeper questions about the country’s democratic culture and the balance between political ambition and national development.
DEVELOPING STORY: TheDailyCourierNG will continue monitoring reactions to Oyintiloye’s comments and their impact on APC internal dynamics.
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