Kenneth Okonkwo has declared that Nigeria is “doomed under Tinubu” while urging Nigerians to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election.

Okonkwo made the remarks in a statement shared on X on Saturday, October 17, in which he criticised President Bola Tinubu’s performance, citing the proposed 12-state presidential campaign tour, the country’s corruption ranking and the Federal Government’s debt-servicing costs.

He described Tinubu’s planned campaign coverage as an “F” performance, noting that the President would campaign in only 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

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“This is about 30% coverage of the entire Nigeria. This is an ‘F’ performance by Tinubu,” he said.

Okonkwo also criticised Tinubu for allegedly failing to grant regular interviews to independent media organisations or participate in a national debate with opposition candidates.

He argued that the President had not adequately engaged Nigerians directly to explain his plans and policies, describing him as an “absentee President” and questioning his suitability for re-election.

The former spokesperson for the Labour Party presidential campaign also cited Nigeria’s position in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, stating that the country ranked 142nd out of 182 countries, with a score of 26 out of 100.

He described the ranking as another “F” performance under Tinubu’s administration.

On the economy, Okonkwo claimed that Nigeria was “technically bankrupt,” citing figures he said showed that the Federal Government spent ₦7.7 trillion on interest payments in the first half of 2026, compared with total revenue of ₦6.2 trillion.

According to him, interest payments exceeded government revenue by ₦1.5 trillion during the period.

Okonkwo further accused Tinubu of failing to achieve 30 per cent in his administration’s undertakings, describing the government as an “F” government.

He urged Nigerians to support Atiku in the 2027 presidential election, crediting the former vice president’s time in office with helping Nigeria exit its international debt through what he described as prudent management of national resources.

Okonkwo also defended Atiku’s position on fuel subsidies, arguing that the former vice president’s government had maintained fuel subsidies that made life more affordable for Nigerians.

He said Atiku had promised to restore a production-based petroleum subsidy to reduce the cost of refining fuel and make refined petroleum products more affordable.

The statement comes amid preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with political parties and opposition figures intensifying their criticism of the Tinubu administration.

All zones in Northern Nigeria have made up their minds to support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, according to All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Sola Ebiseni.

Ebiseni made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he argued that Northern political interests were already looking beyond the 2027 election towards 2031.

According to him, the North has effectively conceded the next presidential election to Tinubu and is looking ahead to the possibility of power returning to the region in 2031.

SEE MORE: ‘Tinubu Has Procured Proxies’ — Sam Amadi on President’s 2027 Campaign Strategy

“As I tell you from our own research, every zone of the North is looking forward to 2031. They’ve conceded 2027 to Tinubu, the Southwest, of course,” Ebiseni said.

When asked about the basis of his assertion, Ebiseni maintained that the North had settled on supporting the President.

“The entire North has made up its mind for Tinubu,” he said.

During the discussion, Ebiseni was confronted with a contrasting projection that at least 10 of the 19 Northern states would support Tinubu, but he maintained that the entire North had made up its mind in favour of the President.

Ebiseni defended his position, saying it was based on research conducted by organisations to which he belonged, although he did not provide specific details of the research during the interview.

He also argued that Northern Nigeria should not be treated as a politically uniform region, pointing to differences between the Middle Belt, Northwest and Northeast.

“The destiny of the Middle Belt is different from the destiny of the Northwest. It’s different from the destiny of the Northeast, where the current Vice President comes from. And that is going to play out in 2027,” he said.

Ebiseni identified security as a major consideration for voters in Northern Nigeria, arguing that the establishment of state police would strengthen internal security arrangements.

He acknowledged that security efforts under the Tinubu administration could never be sufficient on their own, but maintained that state police would give individual states greater capacity to address security challenges.

“One of the efforts is state police, so that each state will have the capacity for internal security,” he said.

He also questioned the positions of other presidential aspirants on state police, asking how many had openly expressed support for the proposal.

Ebiseni further criticised proposals to restore fuel subsidies, questioning the economic implications of returning to the policy.

His comments come amid political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election, with parties and political figures seeking to consolidate support across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

Dr Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s approach to the 2027 presidential election, saying the president appears to be relying on state governors to make his case to Nigerians.

Amadi made the remarks during an appearance on Arise News Prime Time, where he discussed Tinubu’s political strategy, the challenges facing the country and the expected intensity of campaigns ahead of the 2027 general election.

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According to him, Tinubu’s apparent decision to limit his travels across the country may be a calculated political strategy, but he argued that it raises questions about governance and the president’s engagement with Nigerians.

“No doubt about it, this president’s age, frailty, we’ve seen that happen before, even in governance, he has not traveled across the country, he has not visited sites where there are tragedies,” Amadi said.

He added that the president’s approach could be understood as a strategy designed around his perceived strengths and weaknesses.

“I think, first, it’s a question of strategy, and strategy builds on your strength and weakness,” he said.

Amadi argued that the country’s economic situation makes it important for political leaders to explain their records to voters, regardless of their party affiliations.

“For example, just this week, the World Bank says we have the highest number of multidimensional poor people. So anyhow you look at it, whether you’re APC, PDP, or NDC, the facts are that this is a bad time in terms of economic outcomes,” he said.

Tinubu Relying on Governors, Says Amadi

The political analyst said second-term presidents typically travel across the country to defend their records and explain their policies to voters as they seek another mandate.

He suggested that Tinubu’s approach differs from that expectation because of the apparent reliance on political allies, particularly state governors.

“So in second term presidents usually go, you know, the whole course, they go down the road, they are hitting the road, making their case. Give explanations. And this president, you know, has procured proxies. You know, if you have 37 state governors, you’ve got good proxies,” Amadi said.

He added: “So tactically, he withdraws. That’s what it looks. The alibi around or the excuse around the weight of governors.”

Amadi maintained that governing and campaigning are not mutually exclusive, arguing that a president can continue to discharge official responsibilities while also engaging voters ahead of an election.

“Of course, presidents, as I say, you can chew gum and walk. Presidents govern. That’s why they have the cabinet, but they also make sure they campaign,” he said.

Amadi Raises Questions Over Opposition Campaigns

Amadi also discussed how political parties could approach the 2027 election, suggesting that their campaign strategies would be shaped by their respective strengths and weaknesses.

He said the ruling party would have to consider the intensity of the campaigns expected from opposition figures, including those associated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

“So each party will carve out strategy around how can we minimize our weakness, which is essentially that is the president who doesn’t have the energy to do this round, you know, round three,” he said.

Amadi further warned that the debate over Tinubu’s public appearances could become more consequential if opposition parties continued to raise questions about his engagement with voters.

He suggested that the issue could extend beyond nationwide campaign tours to include presidential television debates and opportunities for Nigerians to hear directly from the president.

“That’s where the strategy might be a bad one, because if the opposition, I suspect, drag this matter out, the question will now be, can the president also turn up for television debates? Can the president also willingly engage?” he asked.

Responding to the suggestion that television debates would not require extensive travelling, Amadi said direct engagement with voters could help address concerns about the president’s limited physical campaigning.

“So if he can get involved in actively talking to voters and answer their concern, that may compensate for less energy,” he said.