A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Attorney General, Kayode Ajulo, has said the outcome of the 2027 presidential election already appears certain, calling on political actors to shift focus to long-term reforms ahead of the 2031 polls.
Ajulo, in a statement on Tuesday, argued that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu currently stands ahead of potential challengers, describing the opposition space as fragmented and lacking credible alternatives.
He noted that recent political developments had exposed what he termed a lack of preparedness among opposition figures, raising concerns about the quality of democratic competition.
“The events surrounding the 2027 election have shown that the President remains largely unchallenged. It is becoming increasingly unclear whether there is any formidable opposition capable of mounting a serious contest,” he said.
Despite his position, the legal practitioner stressed the need to preserve democratic principles, warning against turning elections into what he described as “predictable exercises” that drain national resources.
“As a democrat, I believe the political space must remain open. However, democracy should not be reduced to wasteful contests whose outcomes are already predictable,” Ajulo added.
He urged politicians across party lines to suspend what he described as “futile agitations” and instead embark on deep reflection, strategic reorganisation and meaningful engagement ahead of future elections.
The senior lawyer also called on relevant government institutions to take a more active role in reshaping the political culture through structured civic education and reorientation programmes.
According to him, there is an urgent need to revive initiatives similar to the defunct MAMSER, which he said played a key role in promoting civic awareness and national development during the 1980s.
“MAMSER provided a framework for political education, discipline and national consciousness. We need a modern version of such an initiative to realign our political class towards accountability and service,” he stated.
Ajulo recalled that the programme was previously led by notable figures such as Jerry Gana and Tunde Adeniran, noting that similar calibre of leadership would be required to drive any renewed effort.
He maintained that attention should now be directed towards building a stronger political and civic structure ahead of the 2031 elections.
“The 2027 election is as good as concluded. What should engage our minds now is how to prepare for 2031 by strengthening our institutions and political processes,” he said.
Ajulo warned that failure to begin early preparations could result in a repeat of what he described as avoidable political confusion, urging stakeholders to act decisively in the interest of national development.
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