Ahead of the 2027 poll, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Paul Ikonne, is optimistic that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
would sweep the poll in such a manner that it would be likened to an “Asiwaju tsunami” against his rivals in the opposition political parties.

Ikonne made the assertion yesterday while featuring on TVC’s This Morning, where he dismissed recent comments by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe questioning Tinubu’s 2023 mandate and re-election prospects.
Ikonne maintained that Enyinnaya’s position smacks of political desperation and disconnection from Nigeria’s current political realities.
According to Ikonne, President Tinubu’s victory in 2023 was not only nationwide in spread but also firmly validated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and upheld through the judicial process, making attempts to reopen the issue politically irrelevant.

“The President recorded a sweeping victory in 2023, cutting across regions, ethnic groups and political interests,” Ikonne said.
“That victory has since been reinforced by performance, governance and expanding national acceptance.”
He argued that renewed criticisms from opposition figures, particularly Senator Abaribe, reflect panic as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
Ikonne further accused Abaribe of being disconnected from grassroots politics in Abia State and the wider South-East, claiming the senator no longer understands the political shifts occurring in the region.

“If you know Senator Abaribe very well, you will realise that he is an attention seeker,” Ikonne said. “This is someone who did not win his own election in 2023. A younger candidate defeated him, and the tribunal records are there for verification.”
The former Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) said the APC has made unprecedented inroads into the South-East, asserting that political realignments have significantly weakened opposition parties in the region.
“As we speak, about 90 per cent of the PDP structure in the South-East has collapsed into the APC,” he said.

“Politics is about people, and the people are now gravitating towards President Tinubu. I can assure you there will be an ‘Asiwaju tsunami’ in 2027.”
Ikonne dismissed claims that Tinubu would struggle electorally in Abia State, pointing to ongoing federal infrastructure projects and social intervention programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda as evidence of the administration’s growing acceptance.
According to him, projects such as the rehabilitation of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, alongside agricultural and social investment initiatives, are reshaping public perception of the APC across the South-East.

He also rejected claims that Nigeria is drifting towards a one-party state, describing such narratives as excuses by politicians unwilling to accept the APC’s rising appeal.
“This is not about a one-party state; it is about a strong platform delivering results,” Ikonne said. “When politicians see performance, they naturally align with it. Today, the APC is the platform to beat.”
On criticisms of defections without ideology, Ikonne likened political parties to places of worship, noting that people come freely and stay when they find value.

“The APC has ideology — development, inclusiveness and youth empowerment,” he said. “President Tinubu laid a solid governance blueprint in Lagos, and that progressive vision is now being expanded nationwide.”
He concluded that sustained defections into the APC are driven by performance and results, describing the trend as “the true beauty of democracy, both in Nigeria and globally.”