Senator representing Borno South in the Nigeria’s Senate, Ali Ndume, has cautioned that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) must not dismiss the growing influence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ndume gave the warning during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today, monitored by Tribune Online on Friday.
Ndume stressed that no political challenger should be underestimated, regardless of its current strength.
Asked whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands a strong chance of securing a second term, the senator said he was not in a position to predict electoral outcomes.
However, he pointed to the 2023 elections as evidence that political surprises are possible, citing the performance of ADC presidential aspirant Peter Obi as a clear example.
According to him, Obi’s ability to mobilise significant support nationwide showed that emerging political forces can reshape the electoral landscape, a lesson parties must take seriously as 2027 approaches.
On security, Ndume applauded ongoing cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in tackling insurgency in the North-East.
He dismissed criticisms of foreign military presence, declaring that he would personally welcome American troops to his hometown of Gwoza if it would help flush out terrorists.
He lamented that insurgents from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have overrun parts of the mountainous areas in his constituency, forcing residents into internally displaced persons camps.
Restoring security, he said, would enable displaced communities to return to farming and rebuild their lives.
While commending some of the economic and reform policies introduced by President Tinubu, Ndume argued that the impact has not fully reached ordinary Nigerians, blaming gaps in implementation rather than policy direction.