***Alleges five governors under pressure to defect to APC
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has warned political leaders across Nigeria, especially in the North and South, not to fall for what he described as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s desperate moves to retain power in 2027.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the Bayelsa-born political activist alleged that the president is currently deploying tactics of blackmail, political pressure, and threats of state of emergency to coerce opposition governors into defecting to the APC.
“Tinubu is blackmailing and intimidating at least five opposition governors—particularly from the South—to defect to the APC. This is not about political alignment; it’s about raw pressure and threats,” Frank claimed.
He warned that the president is playing a dangerous ethnic card—manipulating Southern support while subtly pitching the region against the North in preparation for the 2027 elections.
“To Tinubu, 2027 is about him versus the North,” Frank said. “He has forgotten that it was the North that helped him into power in 2023.”
Frank urged Nigerians to reject what he called Tinubu’s divisive leadership style, noting that ethnic polarization, economic hardship, and insecurity have worsened under his administration.
“Nigerians don’t need a Northern or Southern president; they need a competent leader who can fix the economy, stop the killings, and end the sufferings brought about by fuel subsidy removal, increased tariffs, and inflation,” he said.
Frank accused Tinubu of undermining democracy by stoking internal crises within opposition parties like the PDP and Labour Party, allegedly to weaken them ahead of 2027.
“His aim is simple: destroy viable platforms that could challenge him. He is already planning to grab and run with the results, as he did in 2023,” he added.
The former APC spokesperson further urged opposition leaders to unite and ensure their coalition succeeds in preventing Tinubu’s re-election, warning that the North, in particular, will face greater neglect if the president returns to power.
“Should Tinubu win in 2027, the North will suffer untold marginalization. He has already sidelined them in appointments and infrastructure. This is the time to act,” Frank said.
He warned that some governors remaining in opposition have been forced to sign undertakings pledging to deliver their states to the APC or risk being denied second terms.
“Tinubu does not believe in the will of the people. He only believes in holding onto power by any means, even if it means manipulating the system,” he said.
Calling for vigilance, Frank concluded, “Nigerians must do the patriotic thing—reject Tinubu in 2027. Our democracy cannot survive another term of this style of leadership.”
He urged opposition leaders to prioritize Nigeria’s future and stay united for the sake of national stability and economic recovery.
