The Federal Government has rejected claims by opposition figures Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are heading for defeat in the 2027 general elections.

Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, dismissed suggestions of declining support for the ruling party, insisting that the APC remains confident of retaining power at the federal and state levels.

Musa spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, shortly after Obi and Kwankwaso addressed supporters and expressed confidence in their ability to challenge the ruling party at the polls.

Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had warned against any attempt to manipulate the 2027 election, saying opposition supporters would resist efforts to undermine their votes at polling units.

Speaking at an “Obi Talks Nigeria” town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, he said Nigerians would no longer allow their votes to be subverted during elections.

Kwankwaso, Obi’s running mate, also argued that controlling a large number of states does not automatically guarantee victory in a presidential election.

He cited the 2015 election, when former President Goodluck Jonathan lost despite his Peoples Democratic Party controlling a significant number of states at the time.

Responding to suggestions that voters in northern Nigeria could turn against Tinubu and the APC because of the administration’s performance, Musa described such claims as a matter of perception.

He maintained that the ruling party remained strong in the region and expressed confidence that the APC would retain Kaduna State in 2027.

Asked whether the party would win the presidential, governorship and other elections in Kaduna, the minister gave an emphatic response.

“Definitely. Presidential, governorship, and all levels,” he said.

Musa also rejected suggestions that the opposition was gaining significant momentum in the North, arguing that some individuals were exploiting public dissatisfaction for political purposes.

Meanwhile, APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, described the opposition’s predictions of an APC defeat as “cheap talk” and “wishful thinking.”

The exchange comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with the contest increasingly taking shape around the ruling APC and major opposition forces.

Obi and Kwankwaso are part of the NDC ticket, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), adding to the emerging multi-party contest for the presidency.

The opposition has also been exploring greater cooperation ahead of the election, with recent political meetings focusing on the possibility of presenting a stronger challenge to the Tinubu administration.

The 2027 election is expected to be heavily influenced by issues including the economy, security, cost of living, government performance and the ability of opposition parties to coordinate their campaigns.

For now, however, the Federal Government and the APC maintain that claims of an impending defeat are premature, insisting that the ruling party remains firmly positioned to defend its mandate in 2027.