Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said President Bola Tinubu could lose the 2027 presidential election despite the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlling more than 30 states.

Kwankwaso made the assertion on Thursday during a town hall meeting with voters in Port Harcourt, where he and the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, discussed the prospects of the 2027 general elections.

He cited the 2015 presidential election, when former President Goodluck Jonathan lost his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari despite being the incumbent.

At the time, the Peoples Democratic Party, under which Jonathan contested, controlled about 20 states, while Buhari’s APC eventually won 21 states, according to results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Kwankwaso said the current APC control of about 31 states therefore could not guarantee victory for Tinubu.

“Jonathan was the sitting president and he lost the election. Those who think that because they have over 30 governors they cannot lose are making a very big mistake,” he said.

The former Kano State governor also criticised the performance of some governors, particularly in northern Nigeria, alleging that many had failed to deliver meaningful development.

He said their performance could make it difficult for some of them to campaign for the ruling party ahead of the election.

Kwankwaso also urged Nigerians to make what he described as the right choice of leadership in 2027, warning that another political mistake could be costly for the country.

“This is the time to get it right,” he said, arguing that Nigeria needed a committed, strong and vibrant president capable of addressing its challenges.