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Tinubu’s Second-Term Denial Could Trigger Political Crisis, Ex-NAHCON Chairman Warns

Former Hajj commission chairman urges fairness in power rotation, cites security gains and lower food prices

The immediate past chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Sheikh Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, has warned that denying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a second term in office could plunge Nigeria into a political crisis.

Pakistan said allowing Tinubu to complete two terms, as former President Muhammadu Buhari did, would help sustain the informal understanding of power rotation between the North and South and prevent future political tensions.

The former NAHCON chairman made the remarks while addressing youth groups at his residence in Kano, where he argued that political leaders should not be rejected primarily because of their regional origins.

He warned that attempts to deny Tinubu re-election on such grounds could create a dangerous precedent for future presidential contests, particularly for northern politicians seeking to serve two terms.

“We have to be fair to Tinubu. The type of politics we are playing where we reject somebody because of the region he came from is dangerous. If we sustain this, we will suffer in the future,” he said.

Pakistan recalled Tinubu’s support for Buhari’s second-term ambition, arguing that the former Lagos State governor had stood by the late president and insisted that he should complete his two terms despite concerns about his health.

According to him, it would be unfair for political actors to oppose Tinubu’s second-term bid after Buhari, who came from the North, was allowed to serve eight years.

He warned that denying a southern president the opportunity to complete two terms could undermine the informal power-sharing arrangement between the two regions.

“The way Tinubu supported late Muhammadu Buhari and insisted that he completed his two terms, even though he was ill, and now some people are working hard to deny Tinubu a second term, we will fling the country into a political crisis in the future. Nobody will allow any northerner to take two terms,” he said.

The former NAHCON chairman’s position comes amid growing political discussions over zoning, regional representation and the 2027 presidential election.

Although Nigeria’s Constitution does not require presidential power to rotate between the North and South, the practice has remained an important political consideration in the country’s party negotiations and presidential contests.

However, the decision on who becomes president ultimately rests with the electorate through the constitutional electoral process.

Pakistan also defended the Tinubu administration’s handling of insecurity, arguing that the president inherited significant security challenges from previous administrations.

He identified the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry as major problems confronting the country, claiming that the former began before Buhari assumed office, while banditry expanded during the latter’s administration.

The cleric argued that the security situation should be assessed in the context of the challenges inherited by the Tinubu government rather than being used solely as a political weapon against the president.

He particularly cited the Abuja-Kaduna highway, which experienced serious security concerns during Buhari’s administration, as an example of what he described as an improvement under Tinubu.

“Up to the time Buhari finished his second term in office, a journey from Abuja to Kaduna was suicidal. You only heaved a sigh of relief when you arrived in Kaduna. But now you can leave Abuja at 12am and arrive at Kaduna safely. It means there is an improvement,” Pakistan said.

He also recalled attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna railway, which heightened fears among passengers and disrupted confidence in train travel along the route.

According to him, the security situation has improved compared with the period when kidnappers and armed groups posed serious threats to travellers.

His assessment, however, represents his own view of the security situation, and the extent of any improvement would require a broader examination of security incidents and official data across affected locations.

On the economy, Pakistan argued that the prices of some food commodities had declined under the Tinubu administration, citing rice and millet as examples.

He claimed that a bag of rice, which he said sold for about ₦120,000 under Buhari, now cost approximately ₦57,500.

“Under Buhari, a bag of rice sold for ₦120,000, but today it is ₦57,500. It is less than half the amount under Tinubu,” he said.

The former commission chairman, who identified himself as a farmer, also compared millet prices, saying he sold a bag for about ₦85,000 under Buhari, while the commodity now sells for approximately ₦30,000.

The figures were cited by Pakistan to support his argument that the current administration had recorded improvements in some areas of the economy.

However, food prices vary by location, quality, season and market conditions. The figures he provided were not accompanied by details establishing a uniform nationwide price decline, and they should be understood as his personal comparison rather than a comprehensive assessment of the cost of living.

Nigeria’s economic conditions, including food affordability, inflation and household purchasing power, remain important issues in the debate over the performance of the Tinubu administration.

Pakistan maintained that political disagreements over the president’s re-election should not be driven by regional considerations, warning that the consequences could extend beyond the 2027 election.

He urged Nigerians to consider the long-term implications of their political decisions, arguing that fairness in the treatment of political leaders was necessary to preserve stability and confidence in the country’s power-sharing arrangements.

His comments add to the ongoing debate over Tinubu’s second-term ambition, with supporters emphasising continuity and regional balance, while political opponents continue to assess the administration’s performance and prospects ahead of the next general election.

Whether Tinubu secures another term will ultimately be determined by the electoral process and the decisions of Nigerian voters.

Tinubu’s Second-Term Denial Could Trigger Political Crisis, Ex-NAHCON Chairman Warns