By Musa Bakare.
As Nigeria journeys toward 2027, the nation is not merely approaching another election, it is advancing toward a defining confrontation between reform and resistance. Beyond the slogans, alliances, and political theatre lies a deeper struggle: a clash between forces committed to restructuring the state and those determined to preserve an old order that has long prospered from its dysfunction.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) contends that what is unfolding is not ordinary opposition politics, but an organized backlash against structural change. They argue that meaningful reform in Nigeria, from subsidy removal to fiscal tightening has provoked fierce resistance, not because the policies are undesirable, but because they threaten entrenched interests enriched by a broken system.
In this light, current political realignments appear less like rescue missions and more like operations to reclaim privilege. Many of President Tinubu’s loudest critics once held power, commanded vast resources, and wielded decisive authority while the very problems they now decry festered. The question sharpens: Is this a genuine debate over reform or a resistance movement draped in opposition rhetoric?
The stakes could not be higher. Reform unravels patronage networks, dries up effortless profit streams, and demands transparency. Those who thrived in opacity seldom retreat quietly. They regroup, recalibrate, and return, armed with new language but familiar ambitions.
Across Nigeria, citizens watch with sharpened political memory. Years of economic strain and governance failures have created an electorate less swayed by grand promises and more convinced by tangible outcomes. Increasingly, Nigerians are asking not who speaks most forcefully, but who has governed most effectively; not who promises the most, but who has delivered convincingly. Indeed, President Tinubu and APC have conveniently performed well
That is why the 2027 contest is evolving into more than a race for office. It is becoming a referendum on direction. Will Nigeria continue on the path of necessary structural reform? Or will it pivot back toward a coalition of seasoned power brokers offering familiarity, negotiation, and political comfort?
Every transformation provokes opposition; every restructuring unsettles entrenched interests. Some argue that the louder the resistance, the deeper the reform may be striking.
Ultimately, democracy will decide. Ballots, not press statements will determine whether Nigerians believe reform is worth the strain, or whether they prefer a return to veterans promising what they don’t have and lack the integrity to deliver.
When voters stand before the ballot in 2027, they will not merely be choosing a reform continuity, they will be choosing between a future and a past.
And in the verdict of history, may Nigeria and Nigerians emerge the ultimate winner.
– Musa Asiru Bakare, a foundational member and political analyst, writing from Lokoja, Kogi State.
