Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said manipulating election results has become much more difficult in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Fayose stated this on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he also spoke about President Bola Tinubu and the political realignments taking place ahead of the next presidential poll.
The former governor, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, has publicly expressed support for Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress. He was recently appointed chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency board by the President.
While discussing the 2027 contest, Fayose said political contests were not straightforward, adding that he expected Tinubu to secure about 12 million votes.
“Politics is not a tea party. Asiwaju will have 12 million votes. Go and write it down,” he said.
Fayose then argued that the circumstances surrounding Nigerian elections had changed, making electoral manipulation more difficult.
“You know, to rig election is now difficult. Very, very difficult,” he added.
The former governor also commented on the disagreement between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and some APC governors over the Rainbow Coalition and its political activities ahead of 2027.
Fayose said the disagreement should be viewed in the context of different political interests, arguing that Wike and the governors could pursue different strategies while still supporting Tinubu.
He said the important consideration was whether the coalition could generate votes for the President, particularly in Rivers State, rather than the disagreement over how political support should be organised.
Fayose further maintained that political strategies that prove effective in one state may not necessarily produce the same results elsewhere, describing the ongoing disagreements as part of the contest among political interests.
