President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Presidency’s push for support divides former northern legislators as dissenters accuse the forum of political theatre and betrayal of northern interests
A fresh political rift has emerged among former federal lawmakers from northern Nigeria over the 2027 re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following a controversial endorsement by a section of the Northern Caucus Forum of the 9th National Assembly.
At the centre of the division is a dialogue session convened by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, during which the forum declared its support for President Tinubu’s second-term ambition. The group, in a communiqué signed by Forum Coordinator, Hon. Rufai Chanchangi, hailed Tinubu as a national leader committed to equitable development and called for continuity in leadership.
“We believe in equity, fairness, and political stability. It is in the best interest of the North and Nigeria that the South completes its turn in power rotation. We, therefore, endorse the continuation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership beyond 2027,” the communiqué stated.
Gbajabiamila, speaking at the session, emphasized Tinubu’s national outlook and noted that the North had greatly benefited from infrastructure and policy reforms under the current administration. He urged the lawmakers to support Tinubu’s re-election, describing him as the best choice for peace and prosperity.
Chairman of the National Forum of Former Legislators, Hon. Nnanna Igbokwe, applauded the endorsement, calling it “a significant statement of statesmanship” and encouraging other regions to follow suit in the interest of national unity.
A counter-group, operating under the banner of Concerned Former Members of the House of Representatives, Northern Nigeria, condemned the endorsement, describing it as unrepresentative, politically driven, and misleading. In a rebuttal titled “We Can’t All Be Commodified”, the dissenting lawmakers, Zakari Mohammed, Aminu Shagari, Tom Zakari, and Mohammed Musa Soba, dismissed the Kaduna meeting as a staged show lacking legitimacy.
“We categorically state that this group does not speak for all former northern legislators. Their communiqué is neither reflective nor representative of the region’s true sentiment. This is a political front masquerading as a neutral body,” the statement read.
The group accused the Chanchangi-led forum of being co-opted by the Presidency in a desperate attempt to whitewash the Tinubu administration’s shortcomings in the North. They cited worsening poverty, insecurity, and youth unemployment in states like Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, and Benue, warning that political posturing cannot conceal the reality on the ground.
“The true state of northern Nigeria is one of pain, poverty, and peril. This communique is a classic hatchet job aimed at sanitising a failing administration in exchange for political patronage,” the statement continued.
The dissenters also condemned any attempts to claim moral or constitutional leadership by Chanchangi, accusing his group of exploiting the legacy of northern icons like the late Sardauna of Sokoto for political gain.
The division comes just days after another high-level meeting of northern leaders in Kaduna to assess Tinubu’s two-year performance in office. Held at the historic Arewa House, the gathering brought together stakeholders from all 19 northern states and the FCT. It revealed deep dissatisfaction over what participants described as neglect, economic exclusion, and rising insecurity in the region.
While some attendees praised the President’s appointments and infrastructure projects, others—led by figures like former governors Rabiu Kwankwaso and Sule Lamido—accused the administration of marginalizing the North. Kwankwaso, at a constitutional dialogue in Kano, claimed Tinubu’s leadership had skewed development in favour of the South, a charge the Presidency promptly denied.
The growing dissent is further complicated by the emergence of a new coalition of opposition figures under the African Democratic Congress, including northern heavyweights such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-SGF Babachir Lawal, and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Analysts say the northern political elite remains deeply fractured ahead of the 2027 elections, with the Tinubu administration facing mounting resistance in a region critical to his electoral future.
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