Will Tinubu concede in 2027 as Weah has done in Liberia?
President Bola Tinubu has commended the Liberian President George Weah for conceding defeat and accepting the results of the presidential election in his country. Weah was seeking a second term in office.
But he scored just 48.11 percent of the votes to come second behind the winner Joseph Boakai, who has 50.89 percent. It’s uncommon for African leaders to lose reelection let alone to accept defeat.
Mr. Goodluck Jonathan remains the last African leader to lose in the election and accept the results without plunging the country into a political crisis.
Tinubu passed his commendation through Ajuri Ngalele, his spokesperson. While world leaders including the Nigerians president are applauding George Weah, one should ask Tinubu if he will be ready to accept defeat if he loses his second term.
The Nigerian president has not said that he would run again in 2027. But if he decides to run and he loses, will he let peace reign and accept the results and move on just like George Weah of Liberia?
The president has not committed himself to transparent and free and fair elections. He took over from Buhari in May, 2023. Under his watch, the Independent National Electoral Commission conducted a charade last Saturday. The off-season polls were one of the worst in recent time.
INEC itself confirmed that pre-recorded forms EC8A were taken to some polling units in Ogori Magongo Local Government Area in Kogi State. Some lives were lost, while the electoral commission was said to have announced election results in polling units where elections didn’t hold in Imo State.
It took INEC three days to conduct election, sort, count ballot papers and announce result in Bayelsa State, which has just 8 local government areas.
A committee chaired by ex military head of state Abdulsalam Abubakar rued the last Saturday gubernatorial election in the three states of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi.
Tinubu had less than 40% of the total number of votes in the last presidential election. He is the least popular among the presidents Nigeria has had since 1999.
He had to even fight both Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party in the court before he could cement his victory.
Will Tinubu accept defeat if he loses in 2027? Time will tell.
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