Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to abandon his re-election ambition and ensure a free, fair and credible election in 2027, warning that any attempt to force his way back into office could plunge the country into crisis.
Frank, who described the public protest against Tinubu after prayers at the Shehu Shagari Mosque in Area 1, Garki, Abuja on Friday, as evidence of growing dissatisfaction with his administration, advised the President to listen to Nigerians and shelve his ambition rather than rely on assurances from political associates.
Tinubu reportedly faced boos from some protesters who chanted “Ba ma yi” (we don’t want you) after prayers at the mosque. During the incident, some protesters were seen in a viral video, removing and destroying his campaign posters and billboards in parts of Area 1, Abuja.
Reacting to the incident, Frank condemned the action and the perpetrators for choosing a religious occasion to vent their displeasure and commended the President’s security detail for ensuring his safety and deescalation of the uprising.
He however urged the President to recognise the significance of the public reaction.
“The rejection was total and unmistakable. No Nigerian president has been embarrassed like this publicly. The way Nigerians rejected him speaks volumes but should he decide to go ahead and he loses, he should be prepared to accept defeat just like former President Goodluck Jonathan did,” he said.
On the disconnect between political assurances and public sentiment, Frank expressed concern over what he described as a growing disconnect between assurances being given to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by political associates about winning the FCT and the actual mood of Nigerians.
He said: “I have seen the confidence with which some people are assuring President Tinubu that he will win the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and that he is firmly in control. But the reported embarrassment he suffered during a prayer session in Abuja tells a different story.
“What happened in the FCT last Friday showed that political assurances and promises are not necessarily a reflection of the reality on the ground. The public reaction reflects the anger and dissatisfaction of Nigerians, which those around the President may not be telling him about.”
He added: “I am giving him this advice because I genuinely want him to listen to the truth. Those around him may not be telling him that he has become very unpopular and that continuing in the presidential race may be a difficult undertaking.
“My advice is that he should take a bow and leave the race. He should take this advice seriously.”
He maintained that the dissatisfaction with Tinubu extended beyond Abuja, warning that those assuring the President of victory in 2027 might be shielding him from the reality of the political situation.
He said: “What happened in FCT and Jos after the APC rally has shown that people like the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike promising him of 80 per cent votes in Abuja and the Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo vowing to give him 2.5million votes in Edo state, would disappoint him due to the reality of ground.
“Those telling him to continue and assuring him that he will win the next election are merely deceiving him. Even some people within his political circle, including those involved in his campaign, know that selling his candidacy to Nigerians will be difficult,” Frank said.
He alleged that financial considerations were influencing the positions of some political associates, arguing that the President needed honest assessments of his administration’s performance and popularity.
Frank urged Tinubu to take a cue from opposition figures, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, whom he said attracted large crowds without offering financial inducements.
“Wherever these opposition leaders go, Nigerians come out in large numbers to receive them without being induced with rice or money. Their reception should tell the President something about the mood of the country,” he said.
He added: “I am telling him the truth: his time is up. He should not waste time but take a bow and leave the 2027 presidential race.”
On the forthcoming general election, Frank urged Tinubu to guarantee a transparent electoral process, insisting that the outcome must reflect the will of the electorate.
“The President should quit the race and allow other candidates to contest in a free, fair and credible election. Whoever wins should be allowed to emerge as the choice of the people,” he said.
He expressed concern over alleged attempts by some political actors to manipulate the electoral process, warning that any effort to impose an unpopular candidate could trigger widespread resistance and threaten national stability.
“Nigerians will not accept a situation in which someone is declared the winner when the people know they did not vote for him. They should not push the country into a crisis by attempting to impose him on the people,” Frank warned.
The former APC spokesman, who is also the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, attributed the growing public discontent to economic hardship and insecurity.
He listed hunger, unemployment, rising living costs and insecurity among the challenges fuelling public anger, arguing that the administration’s policies had worsened the difficulties facing ordinary Nigerians.
“If the President had performed well, there would be no need for the desperation we are witnessing today,” he said.
Frank also questioned the credibility of political endorsements and expressions of support for Tinubu, alleging that some individuals and groups were motivated by anticipated financial benefits rather than genuine public sentiment.
He urged the President to distinguish between genuine public support and endorsements driven by personal or political interests.
Despite his criticism, Frank said Tinubu still had an opportunity to secure a positive place in history by voluntarily stepping aside and ensuring a credible election.
“President Tinubu still has an opportunity to make history and have his name written in gold. He can achieve this by ensuring that the country conducts a free, fair and credible election,” he said.
Frank stressed that Nigerians were simply demanding an electoral process in which their votes would count and the people’s choice would prevail.
