Daniel Bwala: We’ll not support Tinubu 2027 presidency if he doesn’t retrace his steps – APC chieftain, Onokpasa

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Jesutega Onokpasa has threatened that he and many other loyalists of the party may withhold their support from President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Onokpasa, who made the submission on Monday during an interview with Arise TV, alleged that the president insulted those who supported him in 2023.

He alleged that the appointment of Daniel Bwala, a former aide to the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar was an insult to Tinubu’s supporters.

It could be recalled that Bwala was recently appointed as the Special Adviser to the president on Policy Communication.

In reaction to the appointment, Onokpasa berated that such an appointment is an insult to those who supported Tinubu in the 2023 elections and shows a lack of respect on the part of the President for those who supported him to get into power.

According to him, the appointment has also generated reactions from APC members, who believe that they have been ignored despite working for the victory of the party in 2023.

Speaking during the interview, Onokpasa said “I won’t support Tinubu in 2027 only if he retraces his steps, respect our party members and stop bizarre behaviour of insulting all of us in the party by giving appointments to people who insulted us.

“People who called him a drug dealer without evidence. That’s an insult. What is Mr President trying to say? Is he trying to justify the statement the person made?

“If Mr president continues on this trajectory of disrespecting our party members, treating us as if we are beggars, then we can’t support him.

“We made you president and you have to respect us. What is the logic in appointing Daniel Bwala? I don’t see anything other than Mr President telling all of us that “to hell with you”.

When asked if he plans to dump the APC because of the President’s action, Onokpasa said, “Tinubu doesn’t own the party. We all formed the party.”

Responding to the comment that Tinubu is expected to be president to all with no prejudice, Onokpasa said, “I refute that. Our party supporters cut across the country…. but so far Asiwaju has given us the impression that he has regards for only Lagos people and most of us consider that to be an insult.

“He just keeps insulting us his supporters by ignoring us and giving appointments to all kinds of people.”