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2027: Ganduje, El-Rufai again disagree over position of North on Tinubu

Published

10 months ago

February 16, 2025

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai and National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje

2027: Ganduje, El-Rufai again disagree over position of North on Tinubu

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”.

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‘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.

2027: Ganduje, El-Rufai again disagree over position of North on Tinubu

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Related Topics:El Rufai Ganduje North Tinubu

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Nigerian Army Foils Terrorist Attack in Sokoto, Neutralises 11 Gunmen

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December 9, 2025

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Nigerian Army Foils Terrorist Attack in Sokoto, Neutralises 11 Gunmen

Troops of the 8 Division Nigerian Army have thwarted an attempted invasion by heavily armed terrorists in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, preventing what security sources described as a planned mass kidnapping attack.

According to military insiders, the operation unfolded in the early hours of Monday, 8 December 2025, when Special Forces stormed a major bandits’ hideout around Kurawa village. A fierce gun battle ensued, leading to the neutralisation of eleven terrorists, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds, as indicated by heavy blood trails at the scene.

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Sources revealed that the attackers were preparing to invade Tara village—also in Sabon Birni LGA—before troops launched the pre-emptive strike that halted the planned assault.

During the raid, soldiers recovered eight AK-47 rifles, five magazines, and 26 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, further degrading the firepower of the non-state armed group.

The military described the success as part of ongoing, intensified operations aimed at denying terrorists and bandit groups freedom of movement and operational space in the North-West.

Nigerian Army Foils Terrorist Attack in Sokoto, Neutralises 11 Gunmen

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Igbo Diaspora Groups Slam UK Govt Over Silence on Kanu’s Life Sentence

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2 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Trends Admin

Nnamdi Kanu

Igbo Diaspora Groups Slam UK Govt Over Silence on Kanu’s Life Sentence

Leading Igbo diaspora organisations have sharply criticised the United Kingdom for maintaining what they describe as “disturbing silence” over the conviction and life imprisonment of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Kanu, a British citizen and head of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was convicted on terrorism-related charges weeks ago and subsequently transferred to Sokoto prison, drawing outrage from diaspora groups who insist the UK has abandoned one of its nationals.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), the Ambassadors for Self-Determination (ASD) and the Rising Sun Foundation (RSF) accused the British government of failing in its human rights obligations.

“The UK government has failed to uphold its duty to protect one of its own citizens,” AVID president Dr. Sylvester Onyia said. “A British passport holder was abducted from Kenya without legal extradition, subjected to a sham trial under a repealed law, yet London remains silent. This silence undermines the UK’s credibility as a human rights champion.”

ASD president Evans Nwankwo described Britain’s inaction as hypocritical, noting that London is vocal on abuses in Russia, Myanmar, Hong Kong and other regions. “When it is a British citizen facing unlawful detention and a life sentence, the government’s indifference becomes deafening. Silence here reads as complicity,” he stated.

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RSF director Maxwell Dede linked the UK’s posture to historic grievances, arguing that the silence reinforces perceptions of ethnic bias rooted in Britain’s role during the 1967–1970 Biafran War. “By ignoring Kanu’s case, the UK risks signalling that geopolitical interests outweigh justice for the Igbo people,” he said.

The diaspora groups demanded immediate UK intervention, including:

A public statement condemning Kanu’s alleged rendition from Kenya
Enforcement of the 2022 Appeal Court judgment that discharged him
Full consular access
A parliamentary inquiry into the UK’s handling of the case
Possible sanctions under the UK Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations targeting Nigerian officials allegedly involved in the rendition or torture

They emphasised that IPOB is legally registered in the UK, and Kanu’s broadcasts from London fall under British free speech protections. The organisations argued that £6.5bn UK–Nigeria trade relations cannot supersede the government’s duty to protect its citizens.

“This is no longer a purely Nigerian matter,” Onyia added. “When a British citizen is abducted, tortured, tried under a repealed law and denied the benefit of a binding judgment, it becomes an international issue. The UK must act.”

The groups vowed to intensify international advocacy, engaging the United States, the United Nations, and global media to ensure monitoring of Kanu’s health and detention conditions.

“The world is watching,” Dede said. “Human rights, due process, and the protection of citizens are non-negotiable. Silence is complicity.”

Igbo Diaspora Groups Slam UK Govt Over Silence on Kanu’s Life Sentence

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Nigerian Air Force Clarifies C-130 Aircraft Made Safe Precautionary Landing in Burkina Faso

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December 9, 2025

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Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame

Nigerian Air Force Clarifies C-130 Aircraft Made Safe Precautionary Landing in Burkina Faso

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has clarified that its C-130 military aircraft, previously reported detained in Burkina Faso over an alleged airspace violation, made a safe precautionary landing due to technical concerns.

In a statement on Tuesday, Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the aircraft was on a ferry mission to Portugal when the crew detected a technical issue shortly after departing Lagos. Following international aviation safety protocols, the plane diverted to Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, as the nearest available airfield.

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The NAF confirmed that all crew members and passengers are safe and were cordially received by Burkinabe authorities. Plans are already underway to resume the mission as scheduled.

“The Nigerian Air Force remains professionally committed to strict compliance with operational procedures and safety standards, and to the protection of its personnel while fulfilling its constitutional mandate,” the statement added.