Tinubu Endorsement Sparks Rift Among Northern Ex Lawmakers

A rift has emerged among former federal lawmakers from northern Nigeria over President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.

The division followed a meeting organized by the Northern Caucus Forum of the 9th National Assembly, where some members threw their support behind Tinubu’s second-term bid.

The gathering, which took place as part of broader consultations across the country, was convened by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President. Gbajabiamila, who also served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, urged the forum to support Tinubu’s administration and back his return to office in 2027, praising his leadership and efforts to spread development across all regions.

At the end of the meeting, the forum issued a communiqué declaring Tinubu as the best choice to continue leading the country. They cited his work on infrastructure, policy changes, and regional inclusion, noting that the North had benefited under his government. The forum’s coordinator, Rufai Chanchangi, signed the statement calling for political continuity and fairness, saying it was right for the South to complete its turn in the power-sharing arrangement.

Not everyone agreed with the endorsement. A separate group of former northern legislators quickly dismissed the meeting as a staged event. Speaking under the banner of Concerned Former Members of the House of Representatives, the group said the endorsement lacked legitimacy and did not reflect the views of the wider northern region.

The opposing lawmakers, including Zakari Mohammed, Aminu Shagari, Tom Zakari, and Mohammed Musa Soba, criticized the Tinubu administration for rising poverty, insecurity, and unemployment in the North. They accused the Chanchangi group of using the gathering to seek political favors while ignoring the struggles of everyday people. According to them, the forum was merely a political front and did not speak for all former northern lawmakers.

The critics pointed to worsening violence in states like Zamfara, Borno, Benue, Kaduna, and Katsina as signs that Tinubu’s government had failed to address the region’s pressing issues. They also rejected what they saw as an attempt to use the late Sardauna of Sokoto’s legacy to add credibility to the endorsement, describing it as dishonest and disrespectful.

Their statement, titled We Can’t All Be Commodified, called on northern leaders to stand for truth and resist being drawn into political shows while people in the region suffer. They vowed not to be part of any group that supports a system they believe has let the North down.

The disagreement comes just days after a larger gathering of northern leaders in Kaduna to assess Tinubu’s performance since taking office. The meeting, held at Arewa House, included political figures from across the North and the Federal Capital Territory. While some attendees praised Tinubu for appointments and projects, others argued that the North had been neglected under his leadership.

Former governors like Rabiu Kwankwaso and Sule Lamido expressed concern that the South had received more attention from the presidency, a claim the government quickly dismissed. The rising tension also ties into broader political movements, as northern heavyweights like Atiku Abubakar, Babachir Lawal, and Nasir El-Rufai continue to strengthen opposition under the African Democratic Congress-led coalition.

With the 2027 election still two years away, the growing division signals a rocky road ahead for Tinubu’s campaign in northern Nigeria. The cracks within the northern political class suggest that unity in the region is far from certain.