Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has written off the chances of Peter Obi’s victory if he emerges as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
According to her, President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress will win the 2027 election even if Obi combines with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, but she stressed that Obi’s chances were the leat.
In an interview with in a recent episode of Mic On Show with journalist Seun Okinbaloye, Musawa described Atiku as a formidable potential candidate but she said he could still not unseat Tinubu even if he combined with Obi.
While she did not elaborate on the argument, her only reservation for the APC borders on dropping its Muslim-Muslim ticket.
She warned the party against this, saying doing so would hurt its chances among the core northerners.
Musawa said, “If there is no Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslim on that ticket, it creates a hurdle. That is the reality of the way people think,” Musawa said.
She stressed that politics in Northern Nigeria is deeply rooted and highly sophisticated, warning that decisions taken without proper understanding of the region could backfire.
“The core North, states like Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto, understands politics at a very deep level. Politics there is a way of life. People wait every four years to line up and vote because that is where they feel they have influence,” she said.
Musawa dismissed claims that the APC could easily reshuffle its presidential ticket without consequences, describing such assumptions as politically naive.
“I think if we toy with changing the construct of what we have now, it is a problem. People who suggest otherwise may not fully understand how politics works in the North,” she said.
Addressing concerns about growing opposition alliances ahead of 2027, Musawa said she does not see the current configuration of opposition forces unseating President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima.
She described the opposition as fragmented, with several political figures competing for the same leadership position.
“You have an opposition that is overcrowded. Every single member is vying for the same spot, and that alone creates a recipe for political failure,” Musawa said.
While acknowledging that opposition figures remain active and influential, she insisted that the APC remains confident of retaining power.
“We are not taking anybody lightly. But as the opposition is emerging now, I do not see how they can unseat President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima,” she said.
Musawa added that although the APC welcomes a strong opposition in the interest of democratic growth, the ruling party is focused on consolidating its political base ahead of the next election.
“It is good for democracy to have opposition. Nobody wants a one-party state. But we are confident in our political direction,” she said
