Senior Pastor Adewale Giwa of The Second Coming of Christ Ministry has claimed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar could defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential elections, particularly if he forms a joint ticket with former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.

Speaking with Daily Post on Monday, Pastor Giwa asserted that the opposition could not defeat Tinubu in 2023 because "he was destined to be Nigeria's president." However, he believes the political landscape has shifted due to what he described as "anti-people policies" implemented by the current administration.

"Atiku-Obi ticket will defeat Tinubu because the current administration has not impressed the majority of Nigerians," Giwa stated. "The problem I have with the Tinubu-led government is the removal of subsidies. It only favors the rich and politicians, but goes against the poor."

The clergyman further criticized the administration, saying, "Any government that fails to consider the poor is anti-citizens. This administration, so far, has undermined the rights and well-being of Nigerians."

Giwa's comments come as Peter Obi recently clarified that his involvement in the opposition coalition is focused on fighting against bad governance, hunger, and poverty, rather than personal political ambition. Obi made this statement while responding to reports of an alleged agreement with Atiku to serve as his running mate in 2027.

Despite his criticism of the current administration, Pastor Giwa acknowledged Tinubu's political prowess, suggesting that without an Atiku-Obi alliance, the President could secure a second term. "Tinubu will win in 2027 if Obi refuses to be Atiku's running mate," he predicted.

In a separate discussion, the Akure-based pastor also shared his views on technology and spirituality, insisting that mobile phones cannot replace hardcopy Bibles. According to him, "Reading from the hardcopy Bible is more spiritual than from phones. If you are using your phones, the Holy Spirit will not interpret the scriptures, but when you are using the hardcopy Bible, the Holy Spirit will interpret what you are reading."

As political alignments continue to form ahead of the 2027 elections, observers will be watching closely to see if the opposition can indeed unite to present a formidable challenge to President Tinubu's potential bid for a second term.