With Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election drawing closer, the debate over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s potential second-term bid is causing deep divisions among Northern political figures.
At a recent gathering at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje and Minister of State for Defence Dr. Bello Matawalle declared that the North would support Tinubu’s re-election, arguing that he must complete an eight-year tenure before power returns to the region in 2031.
“When a Northern leader served for eight years, we advocated for power to shift to the South. Now that we have worked for a Southern president, he will seek re-election in 2027, insha’Allah. After that, power will return to the North,” Ganduje stated.
Matawalle echoed this stance, adding that Tinubu had made significant investments in the North and deserved a second term.
However, Ganduje’s remarks have sparked backlash from some Northern political figures. Former APC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Moh. Lukman, accused Ganduje of trying to suppress potential Northern aspirants. “An election means there is a vacancy, and the chairman cannot impose his personal views on the party,” he argued.
The debate over Tinubu’s second-term bid is expected to intensify, as more Northern leaders weigh in on the issue ahead of the 2027 elections.
