A former spokesman of former Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani, has disclosed that Northern political leaders view President Bola Tinubu’s census with suspicion.
Naija News reports that Sani said some Northern politicians have the view that the President could manipulate the census to diminish the North’s population figures.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain further disclosed that some Northern politicians also hold the view that the census could dismantle the long-held notion that North has more population than South.
According to him, the census has also been viewed as part of plan by the President to consolidate his chances of victory in 2027 election.
“In northern political circles, suspicions have begun to mount. Some argue that the administration is positioning itself to manipulate the census in a way that diminishes the North’s population figures, thereby dismantling the long-held notion of northern demographic dominance. Such an outcome, they contend, would not only reduce the number of electoral constituencies in the region but also weaken its political influence in future elections. In their view, this is part of a calculated strategy to undermine the North’s leverage and force it into accepting President Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
“Others interpret this differently. They believe the upcoming census is central to redrawing the political map of Nigeria, especially in terms of constituency delineation. If the figures favour southern regions, it could significantly diminish the North’s historical advantage in national elections altering the power dynamics ahead of 2027,” he said.
Sambo‘s former spokesman added that the negative views on the census by Northern politicians and leaders also point to growing belief that the President has more interest in winning the 2027 election than delivering governance.
“These permutations underscore a growing belief that the Tinubu administration is more preoccupied with the politics of re-election than with the core responsibilities of governance. The urgency to secure 2027 appears to overshadow the pressing need to deliver credible leadership, rebuild public institutions, and restore public trust,” he added.
