‘We’ll Wrestle to the Finish’ – Tinubu Fires Warning to 2027 Opponents

• President Bola Tinubu has declared that he will not hand over power without a political fight in the 2027 elections, insisting that all is fair in democracy while defending INEC’s neutrality and highlighting his administration’s achievements.

President Bola Tinubu has declared that he will fiercely defend his mandate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, warning political opponents that he will not make it easy for anyone seeking to unseat him.

Tinubu made the remarks on Tuesday while receiving members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The President said politics is a contest in which every candidate has an equal opportunity to compete, but insisted he would not surrender power without a fight.

“Those who would take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and there is equal opportunity.

“I won’t offer them a red carpet. I won’t offer them the leash to tie me at home.

“No, we will wrestle each other to the finishing point. That’s the truth. That is fair in politics,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu Defends INEC

The President also defended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against allegations of bias, insisting that the electoral body remains neutral.

According to him, politicians accusing INEC of partisanship are simply worried about their own political prospects.

“INEC is neutral. It has never, ever intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolf, then they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the company they keep,” he stated.

‘ASUU Strike-Free Campuses Are Proof Reforms Are Working’

Tinubu told the Catholic bishops that his administration’s economic reforms were beginning to produce positive results, pointing to the uninterrupted academic calendar in Nigerian universities as one of the achievements.

He described the absence of strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as an answer to the prayers of many Nigerians.

“None of your children in university today can say a four-year course is not four years.

“ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. To me, that’s an answer to our prayers,” the President said.

‘Prosperity Is on the Horizon’

Speaking on the economy, Tinubu acknowledged inheriting both the assets and liabilities of the previous administration but maintained that his government had stabilized the country.

“This government has stabilised, and there is prosperity on the horizon. The quality of life is improving,” he said.

The President added that he accepted responsibility for leading the country despite the difficult economic challenges.

“I inherited it. I didn’t run away. I asked for this job. I’m in it.”

Mission Schools Belong to States

Addressing the long-standing demand by the Catholic Church for the return of mission schools, Tinubu recalled that he returned mission schools to their original owners while serving as Governor of Lagos State.

However, he explained that the Federal Government lacks the constitutional authority to compel states to do the same.

“The schools are in the states. Preach to them, the governors of your states. They do the job. There is no need for a constitutional amendment for that,” he said.

Calls for National Unity

On security and national development, the President urged Nigerians to remain united despite the country’s challenges.

“We don’t have another country but here. Our founding fathers left us a nation, and we owe it to future generations to build a nation of unity, stability and prosperity,” Tinubu said.

The Catholic bishops, led by Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, later concluded their visit to the Presidential Villa after discussions with the President on national issues.