Come 2027, Tinubu Boasts Backing of Nearly Three Dozen Governors, Claims Buba Galadima

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A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Buba Galadima, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu enjoys the support of 34 and a half of Nigeria’s 36 state governors.

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The NDC chieftain lso stated that Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has declined to defect to the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Galadima spoke at the inauguration of the NDC reconciliation committee on Friday.

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He said the only governor firmly outside Tinubu’s camp is Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.

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The chieftain described Abia State Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party as aligned with the President and referred to Bala Mohammed as the “half.”

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He said Mohammed was advised not to defect to a party with a strong presidential candidate, adding that the governor was “on the fence” and could either work with the NDC or Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress.

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“President Tinubu has 34 and a half governors. The only governor that is not with him is Seyi Makinde of Oyo State. Alex Otti of Abia State is there. Forget about that.

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“The half is Governor Bala Mohammed. We met with him until 3am, and he was supposed to defect the next day, but he called us in the morning saying he has changed his mind because he was advised not to move to a party with a strong presidential candidate.

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“Bala Mohammed is on the fence. He may work with us, or he may work with President Tinubu,” he said.

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The claim comes against the backdrop of a major realignment that has seen APC expand its control to over 30 of Nigeria’s 36 state governorships through a series of high-profile defections, including those of former PDP governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Agbu Kefas (Taraba) and Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), as well as Abba Yusuf of Kano from the NNPP.

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Among the remaining opposition governors, some have publicly endorsed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, including Charles Soludo of Anambra (APGA), who has repeatedly declared support for the president and described APGA and the APC as ideological allies, and Ademola Adeleke of Osun (Accord), who has openly backed Tinubu as “our own son, father and leader.”

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Governor Mohammed, who quit the PDP in May 2026 for the Allied Peoples Movement after talks with the APC over power-sharing arrangements collapsed, remains one of the few governors outside the ruling party.

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