Post by Ibadan Watch (@Ibadanwatch)

Amaechi Replies Tinubu: ‘We’ll Meet at the Field’ Ahead of the 2027 Election.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed President Bola Tinubu's declaration that anyone seeking to unseat him in the 2027 presidential election must be prepared to "wrestle" him to the finish. Amaechi insisted that the opposition was focused on defeating the President through the democratic process, saying the contest would ultimately be decided at the polls.

President Tinubu made the remarks during a meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria at the State House, where he reaffirmed his intention to seek re-election.

Defending the country's electoral process, the President described the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a neutral institution & maintained that politics was an equal contest in which every candidate had the opportunity to compete. He added that he would not make the path to re-election easy for his challengers, declaring, "We wrestle each other to the finishing point."

Reacting during an interview on Channels TV, Amaechi said he was not intimidated by the President's comments. "Let the President continue to tell the public that he will win the election at all costs until we get to the field," he said. "Whatever the President wants us to do in the field, we will do it in the field. Whether he will wrestle or not, we will meet in the field. Nigeria has to be rescued."

Amaechi also accused President Tinubu & some of his aides of disrespecting the Catholic Church following their response to comments made by Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan. Amaechi argued that the criticism directed at the cleric amounted to an attack on his Christian faith and the wider Catholic community.

The controversy followed Cardinal Onaiyekan's account of the bishops' meeting with the President, during which he said Tinubu appeared determined to secure victory in the 2027 election "by all means." According to the cleric, the President rejected the bishops' assessment of the country's economic situation, insisting that government policies were yielding positive results despite the hardship experienced by many Nigerians.

Onaiyekan further suggested that the President's reaction indicated he was not receiving an accurate picture of conditions across the country from those around him. He said Tinubu appeared dissatisfied with the bishops' observations, maintaining that the administration believed the economy was improving rather than acknowledging the concerns they had raised.

The exchange highlights the increasingly sharp political rhetoric ahead of the 2027 general election, as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) & opposition parties intensify their campaigns.

With leading political figures trading words over governance, the economy and the electoral process, the race for Nigeria's presidency is expected to become even more competitive in the months ahead.

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