The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has denied reports claiming that the national grid collapsed twice in 2025.

In a statement on its official X handle on Saturday, TCN said it is mischievous and misleading.

“It is pertinent to note that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is regulated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and governed by industry documents,” TCN said.

“The documents reserve for the National Control Centre System Operator or her designated back-up, the National Supplementary Control Centre (SNCC) the exclusive right to provide information to the public about events and status of the grid.”

The company clarified that while there was no system collapse, a tripping incident occurred on February 12, 2025, affecting power supply in Abuja, Lagos, and Osogbo.

TCN explained that the Omotosho-Ikeja West 330 kilovolt (kV) transmission line tripped, while the Benin-Egbin 330kV line was undergoing scheduled maintenance.

The disruption caused a cascade effect, leading to outages in some areas, though other parts of the country remained unaffected.

“Full restoration of bulk power supply to affected areas has since been completed,” TCN said.

The TCN urged journalists and the public to verify grid-related information from authorised sources to prevent the spread of false reports.

On Wednesday, some parts of the country were without electricity after the national grid experienced a disturbance.

Data obtained from the independent system operator (ISO) showed that the megawatt (MW) generated dropped from 4,064.70 (MW) to 1,222.78 (MW).

WHEN former vice president, Atiku Abubakar led other political leaders to the hilltop residence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta last Tuesday, both parties dismissed insinuations that it was part of the grand plot to gang up against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The visit was kept as a top secret by Obasanjo and his visitors. Yet, it was not the first time the former president and Atiku would meet despite a running battle over political differences. On Atiku’s delegation were other members of the Obasanjo days in office as president, including Lyle Imoke, Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Ningi.

But to underline the strategic meeting, the visitors met for more than two hours behind closed doors ostensibly to shut out the likely prying eyes of a third party and the usually nosy media always lurking around the precinct of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential library located in the Ogun State capital.  Neither the visitors nor their host was willing to give details of the ‘frank discussion’ despite their individual schism against the current administration. All they told the expectant Nigerian public about the outcome of the meeting was that it had nothing to do with politics and the emerging trends towards the next general election. However, details scooped from close aides to the two camps revealed that the discussion was on the necessity for the opposition to evolve a strategy to oust the APC from power through the 2027 presidential election. Close associates and aides to the visitors and the former president said the mission of the team was report back to him the extent of the job done on the assignment to mobilize leaders across the geopolitical zone to push out the APC in 2027. Since the session was meant for the feedback, therefore, the visitors did most of the talking, while the former president kept a near studied silence apparently to comprehend, regurgitate, dissect and digest the message, the messengers and the overall bottom line of the exclusive gathering.                  

Atiku as the leader of the team, with the mandate of others involved in the planned coalition, gave Obasanjo the full account of their actions, consultations, discussions and decisions on the project. It should be recalled that Atiku was among the key speakers at the recent national conference held in Abuja where the main stakeholders pooh-poohed the APC administration and canvassed for a united front by the opposition to confront the ruling party in the next general election. Thus, the Abeokuta meeting with the former president was apparently in furtherance of the fact that Obasanjo was regarded as the de facto leader of the movement which some of the leaders, however, tactically claimed is designed to save Nigeria.  

Sources close to the visitors quoted the ex Nigerian leader to have said that the mission of the team was to give him feedback on the consultations and meetings of the forces mobilizing to produce the coalition against the APC. Obasanjo told one of his close confidants after the meeting that the visit had nothing to do with the speculated renewed presidential ambition of his former vice. The former Nigerian leader expatiated that the visit was aimed at the collaboration efforts to move Nigeria forward, and not with the “presidential bid of any individual’ so far. 

Obasanjo was reportedly categorical that Atiku did not come to discuss his touted ‘ambition’ with him, but to render a detailed report on what they are doing to get a coalition of forces without anyone’s ambition but only how to move Nigeria forward.”  Therefore, he said his job on the occasion was to listen attentively and not necessarily to interject while the team made its submission.”            

Over the years, the former military head of state and later civilian president has been the arrowhead of past efforts aimed at assembling influential politicians, activists and groups of professionals to form a third force with the capacity and network to displace both the PDP and the APC from power. It began after he angrily openly declared his frustration with the PDP.  Recall that about seven years ago, Obasanjo publicly declared that he was quitting politics to assume the role of an elder statesman and adviser to other gladiators. He publicly tore his membership card of the party  into shreds at the height of his disagreement with some elements in the PDP. But the former Nigerian leader has found it extremely difficult to detach himself from partisan politics, despite his promise to be apolitical. Almost in every election cycle, he has tried to play the pivotal role of a fulcrum, rallying his admirers to set an agenda.  Determined to make himself as the rallying force in 2015, Obasanjo became the arrowhead of a Third Force to challenge his former party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2019 general election.  Having been courted by the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obasanjo led the gladiators of other fringe political parties, as well as pressure groups in mobilising across board for the Third Force.

His choice as the third Force for the 2023 elections was the Labour Party (LP). He had the backing of mass based ethnic nationality organisations in the three geopolitical zones in the southern part of the country as well as the Middle Belt. The two Nigerian leaders and other personalities involved in the Third Force hinged their decision that the Igbo should produce a president based on equity.  Obasanjo practically became the face of the campaign of the candidate of the LP, Mr Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, for the presidential election. 

Obasanjo is believed to remain passionate about the agenda. His close associates and confidants claim he is still committed to the cause of power shift to the South-East as leading politicians and groups intensify plans to forge alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.

APC

The national chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has been consistent in creating ripples. He throws bomb shells with the attendant eddies in the ranks of the opposition politicians. He has declared that his party was poised to capture Anambra and Osun states after overrunning Edo and Ondo states in the governorship elections. He threw another stone on Tuesday that the North should wait for 2031 to produce the president of the country as the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari, from Katsina State, served for two terms of four years each. 

LND:  Yemi Osinbajo

Some forces are rooting for former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. He is believed to have the savvy to confront Tinubu. He is said to have a better understanding and appreciation of the president, having worked closely with him as former governor of Lagos State as commissioner for Justice and Attorney General. But some elements claim that Osinbajo may not be able to deliver a block from the South-West to the alliance.

Jonathan is believed to have the following in the South to match the incumbent. Another option is to bring back former President Goodluck Jonathan. Some leaders of the alliance claim he would not be a hard sell in the south because of his network of friends and structures that brought and sustained in office during his first coming as president. It is assumed that certain issues bordering on regional cleavages, ethnic background and other primordial factors could sway popular views in his favour, especially in the South-South and the South-East, which are considered as predominantly pro-opposition parties. 

Rotimi Amaechi

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi is regarded as one politician that should be accommodated in the planned alliance. The former governor of Rivers State is already an arrowhead in the movement. He is said to possess logistics that could be deployed to match the incumbent when the chips are down. But they are concerned that he lacks the clout and machinery to run for the presidency. He might have the capacity to deliver sufficient votes of Rivers State due to the influence of the Minister of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, his once close ally now believed to be fully in control of the PDP structures at the federal level and Rivers State.

Malami and El-Rufai are among the arrowheads of the change agenda. Their seeming aloofness to the activities in the ruling APC is seen as a factor that endears the group. The duo is part of the preeminent forces prior to the APC presidential primary of 2023. 

Atiku and 2027 Presidency

Former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s decision on the ongoing effort to concretise the coalition is critical. His utterances, countenance and body language after his last unsuccessful bid to become president have given the impression that he could take another shot at the exalted office of the President. But there are insinuations that his camp may acquiesce to propositions that he has a rethink on the possibility of throwing his hat into the rings for the seventh time. Speculations are rife in the circle of the leaders of the coalition about his willingness to lower the guard so that the movement can achieve its ultimate goal of creating an upset in the 2027 elections.

North and APC

Conversations among the opposition chieftains are that there is a swell anger from the North against the APC administration. The groundswell of anger centres on the fallouts of the economic policies of the government, with the North perceived as the most vulnerable. Thus, some forces are latching on the perceived unfavourable disposition of the North towards the administration. The calculation by the opposition is to weaken the APC such that it will not be able to achieve its electoral feat in parts of the North in the 2023 elections.

Kano votes

Kano is the epicenter of North-West politics. The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 presidential election, Senator Musa Kwankwaso is working to hold tenaciously to the structure of the state after his party humbled the APC. Therefore, he is reportedly not too keen on completely submitting or collapsing his structure into the planned coalition. Instead, his resolve is to run again for the presidency, and not to play a second fiddle to any candidate in any form of realignment or alliance for the 2027 elections. His recent visit to a former governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is part of his strategies to synchronize his agenda with those who are considered as politicians with pedigree and clout to make serious incursions into the geopolitical zones in the southern part of the country.   

South-East/South-South politics

Regardless of the fact that the APC controls two states in the South-East and one in the South-South, the two zones have the strong presence of the leading opposition parties. The perception informs the calculations among the elements involved in the coalition that former President Goodluck Jonathan should be a preferred choice to checkmate APC in 2027. He is considered as a real counterforce against the incumbency factor based on the grounds of regional cleavages, ethnic attachment, alliances and individual pedigrees.  However, there is a push by another force for Mr Peter Obi as candidate because of the potential of his candidacy to draw a large chunk of the Igbo votes in the South-East and their kinsmen in parts of the six states in the South-South. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is said to be uncompromising in his declaration that the Igbo deserve to produce a president in the name of equity and justice and fairness. 

[Tribune]

Northern leaders have been divided over the possible re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that the once monolithic North is now split, with core northerners determined to oust Tinubu in 2027, while northern minorities support his re-election.

Our correspondents noted that although core northerners complain about the President’s unfavourable disposition towards the region, minority groups argue that they have fared well under his administration.

The Middle Belt, southern Kaduna residents, Hausa Christians of Northern Nigeria, and many natives of Plateau State have distanced themselves from the plot to unseat Tinubu.

However, core northerners, represented by various political, socio-cultural, and indigenous groups, insist that Tinubu does not deserve a second term.

The division among northern stakeholders is evident in social media exchanges between former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and a human rights activist, Senator Shehu Sani, who frequently express differing views on Tinubu’s approach to northern issues, particularly security.

The Arewa Consultative Forum, a key political and cultural association in Northern Nigeria, alongside several prominent northern figures, said the region could not be coerced into re-electing Tinubu.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Secretary General of the group, Murtala Aliyu, stated that the forum remained nonpartisan and would not support or oppose any candidate.

The ACF was responding to a recent statement by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, who urged northern politicians with presidential ambitions to abandon their aspirations because Tinubu would serve for two terms.

“What we normally do at ACF is to highlight critical issues that the people should consider when choosing a candidate, irrespective of their political party. We do not involve ourselves in promoting or antagonising any candidate,” Aliyu said.

The League of Northern Democrats, a northern group comprising members of the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, vowed to support an alternative candidate in 2027.

The spokesperson for the group, Ladan Salihu, said, “We don’t have a personal agenda against Tinubu, but we believe his government has not delivered. The performance indicators do not add up to justify northern support.

“The government has not met expectations, and we in the North are not convinced he deserves another opportunity. Even those who voted for him are now filled with regret. His administration has brought hardship, poverty and agony to the people.

“No northerner with a conscience can claim to be impressed with Tinubu’s performance. He may have the best intentions, but the system he is working with is flawed and unsustainable. It cannot deliver on the promises he made to the North.”

Salihu also hinted at the possibility of a new political movement to field a northern candidate against Tinubu in 2027.

“Yes, there is a possibility, because we are not convinced that this government can lift Nigeria out of its current predicament,” he said.

Similarly, the National Coalition of Northern Groups warned that the North would not vote for Tinubu if economic conditions did not improve.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, the coalition president, Jamilu Charanchi, stated that the North, which holds the majority of votes, would not re-elect Tinubu if economic hardship persisted.

“It is the people who will decide who leads the country—there is no doubt about that. The North has a majority. It is up to President Tinubu to make the right decisions so that people will re-elect him. If he continues on this path, I can tell you clearly that people will not vote for him,” he said.

Urging Nigerians to vote wisely, Charanchi advised the electorate to choose leaders based on competence, capacity, integrity and adherence to the rule of law.

He said, “Nigerians should not allow themselves to be manipulated by politicians. They should vote based on merit and mobilise others to elect leaders who will lift the country out of its current crisis.”

Charanchi described Ganduje’s comment as troubling and disheartening, stating that it indicated the APC chairman was out of touch with reality.

“Is he satisfied with Nigeria’s failing economy? Does he believe these failures are acceptable or justified?” he asked.

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, had previously hinted at northern efforts to remove Tinubu in 2027.

Lawal recently declared his intention to work with El-Rufai to prevent Tinubu’s re-election.

In an interview, Lawal blamed Tinubu’s economic policies for worsening poverty and hardship in Northern Nigeria.

“The North is seriously mobilising with a consensus that Bola Tinubu must step down in the 2027 election. There is no doubt about this consensus.

“I may not have always agreed with El-Rufai, but on this issue, I will join him to stop Tinubu from winning the 2027 election. If Tinubu wins, northern Nigeria will turn into one large refugee camp,” he said.

El-Rufai, on Monday, shared on his X handle an opinion by a chieftain of the party, Uche Diala, who warned that if Tinubu was not careful, he might face the same fate as former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2027 election.

The article stated, “I have read and heard the arrogant posturing and braggadocio by some people who I refer to as political rabble-rousers, but I get more worried each day as it keeps looking more and more like a movie we had seen before.

“May I remind some persons that, more than the performance or lack thereof of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, it was his attitude, and that of people around him, towards the North that ultimately brought him down and by extension the PDP that had boasted that it would rule Nigeria for 60 years.”

El-Rufai himself had on his X handle criticised the APC, lamenting the lack of internal democracy and active party structures within the party.

He wrote “I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”

However, the northern minorities distanced themselves from the plot to oust Tinubu.

One of the notable northern minority groups, the Middle Belt Forum, stated that the region had decided to support a southern presidency in 2027.

The MBF argued that the region had received a better deal under the current administration than under former President Muhammadu Buhari, despite prevailing economic hardships.

According to the MBF’s spokesman, Luka Binniyat, the Middle Belt has secured more political appointments at the national level and more infrastructural projects than under the previous government.

Sunday PUNCH noted that Middle Belt indigenes in Tinubu’s administration include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume (Benue State), and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda (Plateau State).

“We are having a better deal under Bola Tinubu than under Buhari, even though we are all experiencing economic hardship like everyone else.

“The Middle Belt Forum, for sure, still stands for a southern presidency in 2027. So, it is up to President Tinubu to up his game to attract the Middle Belt when an alternative candidate emerges in 2027,” Binniyat said.

Similarly, indigenous Hausa Christians of Northern Nigeria dissociated themselves from the plot to remove Tinubu in 2027, stating that they would not be pressured into making a decision that could negatively impact the social well-being of their people.

According to the Christian group, Tinubu’s administration had demonstrated a commitment to addressing the insecurity that has plagued many northern states.

“All we want at the moment is inclusivity, as we have many qualified individuals and seasoned politicians capable of holding political office.

“Instead of calling for the President’s removal in 2027, we are urging him to consider some of our people for appointments, as we refuse to inherit anyone’s enemies,” said the National Chairman of the group, Daniel Musa.

Some indigenes of Plateau State also declared support for Tinubu’s second term.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH under the auspices of the Plateau Initiative for the Development and Advancement of the Natives in Jos, the indigenes acknowledged the President’s contributions to the development of their region.

The association’s Secretary General, Dickson Auta, said, “He (Tinubu) has indeed shown that he is a detribalised leader because he has been striving to spread developmental projects across every part of the country.

“Our people are only concerned about good governance, and if Mr President continues on this developmental path, I am sure our people will have no choice but to support his ambition in 2027 should he decide to run for a second term. In fact, we are already supporting him.”

Also, the Southern Kaduna People’s Union commended Tinubu for appointing individuals from Southern Kaduna to key positions.

A spokesperson for SOKAPU, Josiah Abraks, cited the appointment of Gen. Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff and the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Science, Kachia, as examples of the President’s inclusivity, which has benefited the people of Southern Kaduna.

“The southern part of Kaduna is willing to partner with whoever is ready to work with us to ensure our growth and development,” he added.

[Punch]

The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, has come under attack from northern leaders and groups over his call on the North to bury any ambition of contesting the presidency in 2027.

They accused him of working against the interest of the North just to please President Bola Tinubu.

The controversy surrounding Ganduje’s statement highlights the complex dynamics of Nigerian politics, particularly regarding zoning and power rotation. As the country prepares for the 2027 presidential election, it remains to be seen how this debate will unfold.

Ganduje had urged northern politicians nursing presidential ambition in 2027 to bury the idea, insisting that President Tinubu would serve two terms.

Apparently reacting to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who, in a post on his verified X handle, threatened that in 2027, the North would give Tinubu the same treatment meted out to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

But Ganduje, while hosting leaders and members of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre, PBAT Media Centre, and Tinubu Northern Youth Forum, TNYF, at APC National Secretariat in Abuja, said expectations that the North would produce the President in 2027 should be “perished.”

“When a leader from the northern part of this country was in office for eight years, we advocated that the next president in our party should come from the South”, he stated.

“And luckily enough, we worked very hard with the cooperation of Nigerians. Our President has come from the South and is going, insha’Allah, for a second term in 2027. And then after that, it will be turned to the northern part of this country”.

‘Dangerous precedent’

However, the statement seems to have provoked stakeholders in the region, who told Sunday Vanguard that what the APC chairman said is a “dangerous precedent.”

The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, said the statement wasn’t surprising, adding that Ganduje was doing the bidding of his “benefactor.”

National President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said: “It is a political statement, and he is representing the party. Whether he likes it or not, the President is the main man for the party, and the benefit he would get comes through the President.

“So, whether he is from the North or wherever, he just has to support the President. It is, therefore, not surprising that, in spite of the Northern resistance for whatsoever reason, he is supporting the President, so it is not surprising.

“However, there are things we need to learn from the behavior of the North. There is this thing they call ‘Takiya.’ It is a holy deceit. It is practiced in the North in some things.

“So, what he says may not exactly be what he meant. So, let’s hope and believe that what he said was what he meant, and that was not a deceit aimed at appeasing those he wants to, with the intention of doing something else.

“This is something our Southern brothers do not seem to know or understand. But for those of us in the North, when one of us says something, we weigh it properly based on the action that might follow.”

‘Disturbing questions’

On his part, National President of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, said Ganduje’s position raised disturbing questions about Nigeria’s democracy.

He said: “Ganduje’s call for politicians from the North to drop any ambition of contesting against Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election raises important questions about the principles of democracy and the right to political participation.

“It is essential to analyze this statement in the context of democratic principles and the right to political participation. In a democratic society, every citizen has the right to contest for political office and present themselves as candidates for election.

“This right is enshrined in the constitution and is a fundamental aspect of a functioning democracy. Ganduje’s call for politicians from the North to refrain from contesting against Tinubu raises concerns about the freedom of political expression and the right to participate in the democratic process.

“By discouraging potential candidates from running for office, Ganduje’s statement could be seen as an attempt to limit the choices available to voters and stifle political competition.

“Such a directive could also be interpreted as an attempt to consolidate power within a particular political faction or region, rather than promoting a fair and open electoral process.

“In a diverse and multi-ethnic country like Nigeria, it is essential that all regions and groups have equal opportunities to participate in the political arena and present their ideas and policies to the electorate.

“It is also worth noting that the 2027 presidential election is still several years away, and it is premature to make such sweeping statements about potential candidates and their eligibility to contest for office.

“In a democratic society, political competition should be encouraged, and voters should have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of candidates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

“As citizens and observers, it is crucial to uphold these principles and ensure that all individuals have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process without fear of reprisal or discrimination.”

‘Why 2027 noise?’

Also speaking, Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, North-West zone, Emmanuel Obe, said: “2027 is still far away, so why the noise about 2027? It’s only God that knows what 2027 will look like; therefore, those looking for favour and patronage should stop distracting those who have the responsibility of providing dividends of democracy to the people rather than engaging them with the trouble of 2027 that may or may not come.

“Nigerians are suffering, and the least expectation is to provide them with basic needs, which includes but is not limited to: food and shelter, security of lives and property, good drinking water, access to basic education, and good health facilities, stable and affordable supply of electricity, good roads, among others.

“Ganduje and his likes should address those needs rather than disturbing the citizens with the noise about 2027. Mr. President should not be distracted by the noise from those political jobbers and favour seekers but rather should focus on delivering his campaign promises to Nigerians and allow 2027 to breathe.”

‘North united politically’

Former Secretary-General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, said: “There is nothing controversial about such statements. This is because none of the two people you have mentioned speaks for the North in so far as partisan politics is concerned.

“This is because the North can be united politically on real issues of real concern to real northerners, but when it comes to partisan politics, the North does not act in unison.

“Recall NPC, NEPU, and United Middle Belt Council in the First Republic. In the Second Republic, there were Shagari who contested against Zik of NPP and Awolowo of UPN from the South and with Mallam Aminu Kano of PRP from Kano and Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim of famous ‘politics without bitterness’ from the North.

“During the third and the current fourth republics, the North voted for Abiola against their son, Bashir Tofa, and voted for Bola Tinubu in 2023 from the South against son of the soil, Abubakar Atiku, respectively. “This should also inform political pundits that the North can use contingency in its approach to politics depending on the situation on the ground.”

Similarly, former Chairman of CAN, Kaduna State, Rev Joseph John Hayab, said: “I am not sure Ganduje has said anything new. What he said is what the previous party in power used to say. I hope his party will listen to the cries of Nigerians and attend to their needs before the next election.

“Many Nigerians are tired of how politicians use this zoning of offices to deny them good governance. Nigerians in the next election will be looking for good governance, not the region of the candidate.

“Those who still want to go to the people with regional or religious messages about whom to vote will regret it. We have played regional and religious politics, but we are still standing in one spot, with no progress, only wallowing in hunger and poverty.

“Ganduje and all other leaders of political parties that want to get the mandate of Nigerians should focus on addressing Nigeria’s problems to win the support of the masses and stop talking about which region should drop her ambition to contest in 2027.”

Worrisome argument

Also, the Director of NGOs and SCOs of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Suleiman Abdul-Azeez, said he found Ganduje’s argument worrisome.

His words: “As a leader from the North, I am deeply concerned by the recent statement made by former Governor Ganduje urging the North to drop any ambition of contesting against Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

“This call for the North to step aside and allow Tinubu to run uncontested is not only undemocratic but also goes against the principles of fair competition and equal opportunity in a democratic society.

“It is important to note that democracy thrives on the principles of free and fair elections, where all eligible candidates have the right to contest for any political office without fear of intimidation or coercion.

“By asking the North to abandon their political ambitions in favour of Tinubu, Ganduje is essentially stifling the democratic process and denying the people of the North their right to choose their own leaders.

“Furthermore, this call for the North to step aside in the 2027 presidential election sets a dangerous precedent for future elections, where certain individuals or regions may be pressured to withdraw their candidacy in favour of a preferred candidate.

“This undermines the democratic values of inclusiveness and diversity, which are essential for a thriving democracy.

As a leader from the North, I believe it is imperative that we uphold the principles of democracy and ensure that all eligible candidates have the opportunity to contest for political office without any form of discrimination or bias. It is crucial that we promote a culture of political inclusivity and diversity, where individuals from all regions and backgrounds have an equal chance to participate in the democratic process.”

“I strongly condemn Ganduje’s call for the North to drop any ambition of contesting against Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. It is essential that we uphold the principles of democracy and ensure that all eligible candidates have the right to contest for political office without any form of interference or coercion. Let us strive to promote a culture of political inclusivity and diversity, where every individual has an equal opportunity to participate in the democratic process.”