President Bola Tinubu strengthened his political base in the North on Wednesday, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi state declaring its support for him, amid divergence of opinions in the region as to whether to back the Nigerian leader in the 2027 presidential polls.
The president got some reassurance of massive support from the region at amammoth rally at the Haliru Abdu Multi-Purpose Stadium in Birni Kebbi, the state capital, where the party also adopted Governor Nasir Idris to fly its flag for a second term in 2027.
A number of prominent northern figures have in recent times voiced opposition to the president’s yet-to-be-announced re-election bid about two years from now, with former Kaduna Governor, Nasir el-Rufai publicly saying the region will give Tinubu the Goodluck Jonathan treatment. Jonathan, an incumbent southerner, lost the presidential poll to Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Also, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has been vocal in his criticism of Tinubu’s policies, particularly concerning alleged economic challenges in the North. Lawal has expressed intentions to collaborate with other northern leaders to prevent Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Outside his party, the APC, the Governor of Bauchi state, Bala Mohammed, has emerged as a critic of the president and is reportedly mobilising support for an alternative leadership for the nation in the coming elections.
Unsurprisingly, a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and a prominent political figure from the North, has also been involved in political maneuvers, which many see as part of plans to displace Tinubu in 2027.
But led by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, and the governor of Kebbi, leaders of the party on Wednesday said Tinubu deserved their support because of the huge number of federal projects he had cited in the state in less than two years of his first term of office.
Citing 40 ongoing projects worth over N600 billion spread across agriculture, health and education sectors in the state, the party said the federal attention was unprecedented in the state.
“President Bola Tinubu has shown that he is a visionary leader with enormous capacity to carry everyone along. He promised to be president for all, and he has practicalised that in all his dealings in the last one and a half years that he has been in office,” Bagudu said during the event.
The minister listed some of the the big-ticket federal projects in the state as the 1,000 km Sokoto (Ilela-Badagry (Agbara) Superhighway (Section 1, Phase 1A) Kebbi section worth N428.3 billion; Rehabilitation and construction of 30 km within the 127 km alignment of Biu-Kangiwa-Kamba-Gaya-Niger Republic Road (N39.6 billion); the construction of Malando Garin Baka Ngaski Wara Road CH.0+000 CH.79+586 (N86.3 billion); and Koko-Besse-Zaria-Kala Road (N13.7 billion).
“For us in Kebbi State, we are grateful for his impactful leadership that is consolidating inclusive economic growth and development across our land and the nation,” Bagudu said.
The Birni Kebbi rally, attended by scores of political heavyweights, including National Assembly members, former governors, and some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), increased the gathering of politicians expressing support for Tinubu amid rising speculations that the North might not support his 2027 second term aspiration.
On Sunday, Minister of State for Defence, Mr Bello Matawalle, said contrary to the claim by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, the North remained solidly behind Tinubu.
The Arewa Think Tank also said the much mouthed opposition from the north was a facade, stressing that the North has no reason not to return Tinubu as president in 2027.
Also in attendance at the Kebbi meeting were the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon. James Faleke, who stood in for Tinubu; APC National Organising Secretary, Mr Suleiman Argungu; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Durosimi Meseko; Executive Secretary, National Lottery Commission, Mr Tosin Adeyanju; Senator Bala ibn Na’alla; Senator Mohammed Magoro and former governor of the state, Sai’du Dakingari.
Bagudu said both Tinubu and Idris deserved a second term based on their performances in less than two years of their elections as president and governor.
The minister said the Tinubu government had done so much to make Nigeria better, explaining that the president had fulfilled his campaign promises to Kebbi State and he was so proud to be associated with him.
He added that in less than two years the federal government had recorded many people-oriented projects in the state.
He added: “The federal government awarded Natisini-Kangiwa-Kamba Road for N35 billion, it did the Malamdo-Ngaski Warah Road, has started work on the Sokoto-Kebbi-Badagry superhighway and Koko-Mahuta-Dabai road respectively all for the benefit of people of Kebbi State.”
While announcing the sum of N450 million for the 225 wards in the state to procure food items for the month of Ramadan, he urged everyone to support the APC government led by Idris in the state and Tinubu at the federal level because of the good work that they were doing to better the lives of the people.
Addressing the rally, Idris said the people of Kebbi state were solidly behind Tinubu because he had brought progress and development to the state. He commended him for the developmental projects the president had brought to the state.
“We can count many things that the president has done for our state. For this, I’m with Tinubu come 2027. When the time comes, we shall see if they think they have more people than Tinubu in Kebbi state. Only the person who brought progress to us is our candidate,” the governor said.
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Muhammadu Ankwe also praised Tinubu for what he described as his unprecedented contributions to the infrastructure development of the state, saying the people needed to reciprocate his good deeds with their support.
“Hon Faleke, please tell the President that we are solidly behind him,” he assured.
In his remarks, Faleke thanked the gathering for their support for Tinubu and pledged that the president would continue to serve them diligently.
“I thank you for this show of support. I urge you to continue to stand firmly, and I assure you that Tinubu will not disappoint you,” he stressed.
