The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) has accused President Bola Tinubu of avoiding Nigerians ahead of the 2027 presidential election because he fears rejection.
The group also pointed to Tinubu calling himself “Governor Tinubu” at his campaign council’s launch, saying it shows he is confused and unfit to lead.
In a statement signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Ihediwa, the MDPCO said the President is trying to avoid public anger over his government’s performance, adding that if he can face the crowd, he should step out of the race.
The group said Tinubu’s decision not to travel with his campaign council to every state runs counter to democratic values and makes people question whether he is willing to answer for his record.
“A president who believes he has done well should be ready to defend his record in front of the people,” the group said, claiming that Tinubu has not kept his campaign promises.
The group pointed to worsening electricity supply, higher electricity tariffs, widespread poverty, hunger, and insecurity as signs of the administration’s alleged failures.
They blamed the removal of the petrol subsidy, the floating of the naira, and other economic policies for making life harder, saying that millions of Nigerians have been pushed into poverty.
The organisation also accused the Tinubu administration of not stopping terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes. They said these issues have claimed thousands of lives and left many people in captivity.
The MDPCO said that Tinubu’s reluctance to campaign directly across the country shows he may fear public resentment about the economic and security problems facing Nigerians.
It further expressed concern that the decision could signal an attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress to undermine a free, fair and credible election, although it provided no evidence to substantiate the allegation.
The organisation insisted that the President must be prepared to defend his record before seeking another mandate, recalling his promise that Nigerians should not re-elect him in 2027 if he failed to fix the country’s electricity supply.
“If President Tinubu is so fatigued that he cannot go round the country to canvass for votes, then he should withdraw from the race,” the statement said.
The campaign group has endorsed Seyi Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). They described him as a more energetic and competent choice who can tackle the country’s security, economic, and social issues with his “reset Nigeria” agenda.
The group said Makinde has been meeting voters nationwide and sharing his record and policy ideas during his campaign.
The MDPCO said the presidency is not a right and called on Tinubu to step down from the 2027 race to avoid possible rejection by the public.