Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson, Segun Sowunmi, has expressed concern over the likely controversy that could trail the 2027 presidential election, saying President Bola Tinubu may face allegations of rigging even if he wins the poll.
Sowunmi stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday while discussing Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential race.
The PDP chieftain said the major challenge after the election would not necessarily be who emerges victorious, but whether candidates and their supporters would accept the outcome.
“I pity him (Tinubu) because after he wins, they’re going to start saying he rigged,” Sowunmi said.
He stressed that political actors must respect the choice of voters, regardless of whether the outcome favours them or their opponents.
“The biggest challenge for the stability of this country going forward is not so much who will win or who will lose, but how they will accept outcomes,” he said.
Sowunmi noted that voters could freely choose between competing candidates, stressing that a candidate’s defeat should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of electoral malpractice.
“Because if you do an election and people can vote for you, they can vote for your rival,” he said.
He warned that persistent rejection of election results and attempts to incite the public could undermine the legitimacy of a winner who genuinely secured the people’s votes.
“And if they do happen to vote for your rival and he wins, if you insist that all you are going to be doing is screaming up and down and instigating the society, how does the winner become the victim of the votes people gave him?” Sowunmi asked.
He urged political parties and their supporters to place national stability above partisan interests, while encouraging those dissatisfied with election results to pursue legitimate channels for redress.
