President Bola Tinubu has declared that he is fully prepared to seek a second term in 2027, saying political opponents hoping to unseat him must be ready for a tough electoral contest.
The President made the remark on Tuesday while receiving members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at the State House in Abuja.
Responding to concerns raised over the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu maintained that the electoral umpire had remained impartial and had not intimidated any political party.
According to him, allegations of bias against INEC were unfounded and stemmed from the anxieties of opposition parties rather than the actions of the commission.
"I asked for this job. I'm in it. Those who want to take it from me will try, and they are free to try. Politics is about equal opportunity.
"INEC is neutral. It has never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolf, perhaps they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the alliances they keep, not me," the President said.
Tinubu added that while he welcomed political competition, he would not make it easy for his opponents.
"I am ready, but I won't give them a red carpet. I won't allow anyone to tie me down. We will wrestle to the finishing point," he said.
The President also defended the performance of his administration, arguing that the country was making steady progress despite inheriting significant economic and security challenges.
He said improvements were becoming evident in the quality of life of Nigerians, while pointing to the relative stability in the nation's university system as one of the achievements of his government.
"You can't say a four-year university course is no longer four years. ASUU is not on strike, and students are no longer being subjected to the hardship of prolonged industrial actions. That, to me, is an answer to our prayers," he said.
On insecurity, Tinubu acknowledged that challenges remained but stressed that his administration was committed to tackling them.
"We don't have another country except Nigeria. Despite our diversity and complexities, we will continue to work for unity, stability and prosperity.
"The challenges are there. I inherited them, but I did not run away from them," the President added.
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