Politics
2027: Northern leaders plot to unseat Tinubu, insist ‘Nigeria bigger than Lagos’
President Bola Tinubu may have started moves to win back the support of northern leaders and those aggrieved with his administration.
Close aides to the President said several initiatives were being implemented and new ones created.
While insisting that the President was not afraid of any political or pressure group, the sources said the plan was to counteract the recent actions of some northern leaders opposed to his reelection in 2027.
Some Northern politicians had expressed discontent with the Tinubu administration, citing what they described as unfair policies and marginalisation.
They also accused the President of nepotism and filling his cabinet with Lagos indigenes.
A former Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, had lamented that the President was not accessible to lawmakers and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress.
Ndume, who was removed by the party over the comment, was replaced by the Senator representing Borno North, Tahir Monguno.
Despite being sanctioned, Ndume initially defended his statements, insisting Tinubu was not accessible. He later apologised.
Earlier in July, a former National Vice Chairman of the party in the North-West, Salihu Lukman, also berated northern politicians in the Tinubu-led administration. He described them as a “choir group poorly singing ‘on your mandate we stand’ irrespective of the shaky and staggering reality being demonstrated by the mandate holder.”
Lukman, who recently resigned from the APC, also berated Vice President Kashim Shettima for not being a rallying point for Northern politicians.
“With every respect, hardly any official of the current administration of President Asiwaju Tinubu from the North, including Sen. Shettima, is willing and able to take the needed risk to defend the interest of the North.
“Because of self-preservation, already scheming for 2027 has commenced. Within the Presidency, there are indicative cold war dynamics and positioning, which is alleged to be responsible for the praise-singing disposition of Vice President Shettima,” he added.
About two months earlier, the Dean of the Borno Elders Forum, Prof Khalifa Dikwa, during a television interview, disclosed that the Northern elite were unhappy with Tinubu because of his “misfit and weak appointees” as well as his “anti-people policies.”
Dikwa added that even “the southern elite should be annoyed because Nigeria is more than Lagos”, describing it as “provocative.”
Some prominent northerners had also raised eyebrows following the decision of the Federal Government to relocate some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria from Abuja to Lagos.
In April, a spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum, Abdulaziz Suleiman, said the forum regretted supporting Tinubu, adding that with the increased security challenges in the region, the North had learned its lessons.
Suleiman, in an interview, noted that the North would prioritise unity and agreement in choosing the country’s next top presidential candidate.
“The North made a mistake in voting Bola Tinubu to the presidency in 2023, and it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future. They have learned from their past missteps and will strive to select a candidate who can unite the country and govern in the best interests of all Nigerians.
“Moving forward, the North will be more cautious in selecting a candidate for the presidency. They will prioritise someone who is seen as more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country,” he stated.
But a credible source said the Presidency was working to address some of the issues, adding that a two-prong approach was being deployed.
“The first is to increase patronage to the north in terms of appointment. With this, we can silence the noise and complaints on the lopsided appointments, which has no basis.
“The second is to address the prominent problem of poverty and illiteracy, which is a serious issue. This was part of the reason for the creation of the North-East Development Commission,” the source added.
The senior official expressed sadness that northern governors were not acknowledging the contributions of the Federal Government to their states.
He pointed out that palliatives being distributed by the central government for the welfare of citizens were not getting to them, noting that bags of rice were being rebranded and shared by some governors.
According to the source, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had been tasked with taking up causes of the north and fighting for them.
A popular northern politician who also spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, had also been mandated to reach out to the aggrieved stakeholders.
He said, “Some political bigwigs were interested in certain positions but were not given them, and they have resorted to working against Asiwaju’s return, which is not good. But that does not bring any fear to Asiwaju’s camp. To be a little more open, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, and I are all from the North.
“We are reaching out to the aggrieved stakeholders, and we are also accessible. We are critical stakeholders who hold ground for Asiwaju in the North. We will reach out to everyone; it is a collective effort.”
Recall that last week, the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, had also lent his voice to the agitation for a northern leader in 2027, vowing to jettison his presidential ambition if former President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to contest.
According to him, the former president has the requisite experience to revamp the economy and would do a good job if given a second mandate to manage the country.
But a former Minister of Communication and prominent APC chieftain, Adebayo Shittu, said Nigerians should be wary of such moves.
He said, “If you are calling for a change in government, you still have to wait until the current one run its term. Now, you are even calling on Jonathan to come back. He, just like others, is free to return and contest election in 2027. But certainly, there won’t be any election before then and there cannot be any change of government. If Jonathan has done very well, Nigerians won’t have voted him out after spending about six years in office. Tell me, if the PDP had done very well, would the people have voted them out? Nigerians only voted them out after their term expired.”
A former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central between 2015 and 2019, Senator Shehu Sani, warned against the desperation of some northern elites to return to power.
He said, “If President Tinubu succeeds in addressing the security situation, education, and poverty in Northern Nigeria, no northern elite will stop him from being re-elected in 2027.
“The desperation to return to power in 2027 by some northern political elites is not in the interest of the North but is driven by personal reasons, as some of them have been schemed out. So, they often turn to a sectional agenda when their own personal interests are affected.”
Speaking, a former Minister of State for Works and National Coordinator of South-West Agenda for Asiwaju, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, said Tinubu had “sufficient loyalists on his side to confront any opposition coming from any angle.”
“I believe that by the time we approach 2027, Nigerians will know that the president will win his second term as president,” he added.
In his reaction, the President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu, said the plot against Tinubu by some northern elements was an agenda to ensure that power remained in the North.
He urged Tinubu to restructure the country by building on the recommendations of the 2014 CONFAB report and enhancing it to ensure that the constitution addressed the gaps perpetuating the North-South division.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Temitope Ajayi, said the President was focused on delivering good governance.
He said, “The president is focused on delivering good governance to make life better for every Nigerian, regardless of the region you come from, regardless of ethnicity or the faith you profess. So, his focus now is dealing with issues that affect the lives of Nigerians. 2027 is three years away, so why should he be bothered? He is focused on the things that are more important to Nigerians.”
PUNCH
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja on Thursday for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform the Islamic pilgrimage of Umrah, during which he will offer prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.
The Presidency announced the trip in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the visit will provide the President with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and devotion as he seeks divine intervention in the affairs of the country.
“While in Makkah, President Tinubu will perform the religious rites associated with Umrah, seeking Allah’s guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its people,” Onanuga stated.
The President’s planned pilgrimage comes amid mounting expectations from Nigerians for concrete government interventions to address prevailing economic hardship, insecurity and other challenges confronting the nation.
Before departing Abuja, Tinubu is expected to commission equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force to strengthen its operations at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The Presidency, however, did not provide further details on the newly acquired equipment or its operational capabilities.
Onanuga disclosed that the President would return to Nigeria next week after completing the religious exercise.
No specific date was given for his return, while the statement was also silent on whether he would undertake other official engagements during his stay in Saudi Arabia.
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has cautioned opposition political figures against making defamatory statements, dismissing allegations that he ordered a private facility to deny a political party access for its proposed town hall meeting.
The governor issued the warning while reacting to a viral social media video alleging that he personally directed the management of the facility not to host the opposition party’s event.
In a statement, Mbah described the allegation as baseless and a deliberate attempt to misrepresent his administration.
“My attention has just been drawn to a video circulating on some social media platforms, alleging that I gave an order denying a political party use of a private facility for their townhall event. This is preposterous and utter falsehood, because I did not,” he stated.
The governor criticised what he described as the opposition’s desperate attempt to attract public attention through unfounded allegations.
“This is shameful and reveals a desperate pattern adopted by the opposition to attract attention,” he added.
Mbah maintained that while democracy guarantees freedom of expression, such freedom should not be misconstrued as an unrestricted licence to malign or defame others.
“There’s no doubt that democracy guarantees freedom of expression. It should be noted, however, that it does not grant anyone the right to defamation,” he warned.
He further reminded political actors that democratic institutions provide legitimate avenues for seeking redress whenever they feel aggrieved, rather than resorting to what he described as defamatory accusations.
“Democracy also offers avenues to seek redress. So, let it be known that there are redlines that should never be crossed,” the governor declared.
Mbah reiterated that he had no involvement in the alleged denial of the facility, distancing himself from claims linking his administration to the controversy.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Anambra state chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC has described as false narrative the trending story that the trio of Presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi, Sen Victor Umeh and Sen Tony Nwoye are currently at daggers drawn following the alleged doctoring of the list of candidates for the 2027 general election in Anambra North Senatorial District.
It is being alleged that the doctoring was executed by Sen Tony Nwoye representing the Senatorial District which resulted in the withdrawal of names of nominees of Nwoye for the Presidential Campaign Council of the party .
Dismissing this narrative, the Anambra state Chairman of the NDC , Hon Ikem Uzoezie stated that the report is not only fales but unfounded contending that it is a recipe for those who are apprehensive of failure in the coming election.
“One would have chosen to keep quiet over this issue but it is important to that we as a party make the following clarifications;
“There is no such thing in our great party the NDC and there can never be and the party is more focused in executing the 2027 general elections and we do not need to be distracted by the machinations of the opposition who are apparently awear of the obvious fact that they have lost the election ”
Uzoezie described the party as one that has respect for rules and guidelines in respect of the the nomination of candidates and we indeed did the needful which can be verified at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“For those who have chosen name dropping and name calling as a trade, we urge them to desist from such unlawful act and the party would not hastate to take appropriate actions in that regard”
Uzoezie advised party faithfuls not to allow themselves to be used as a tool in distabizing the party urging them to remain focused.
The Federal Government has approved a monthly transport allowance of N70,000 for public servants as part of measures to cushion the effects of the rising cost of living across the country.
The intervention, which will run for six months beginning in November 2026, is expected to provide eligible workers with a cumulative sum of N420,000 each by April 2027.
The approval followed a conciliation meeting between representatives of the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), held in Abuja on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
According to the memorandum reached at the meeting, the transport support will apply across all levels of the federal public service, while state and local governments are encouraged to participate in the intervention.
However, the agreement did not specify the exact payment dates, disbursement channels or whether beneficiaries would receive the allowance alongside their monthly salaries.
The N70,000 transport support is separate from the existing national minimum wage and is designed as a temporary intervention to ease workers’ transportation expenses.
Beyond the transport allowance, the government also approved the settlement of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026.
Payment of the arrears is scheduled to commence in November and will be spread across three equal monthly instalments.
In another development, the Federal Government agreed to clear 19 months of outstanding allowances owed to health workers within three months, beginning in December 2026.
The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission was equally directed to conclude its assessment of the financial implications of adjusting the Consolidated Health Salary Structure within three weeks.
On the lingering minimum wage issues, both parties agreed to establish a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee, which is expected to commence deliberations immediately.
The meeting also considered outstanding hazard allowances for agricultural officers, with the verification of eligible beneficiaries and associated financial implications expected to be completed within two weeks.
Similarly, a proposal seeking tax relief for workers will be forwarded to the National Executive Council for consideration.
The Federal Government and the NLC are expected to reconvene after one month to assess the implementation of the resolutions.
Meanwhile, workers in state and local government services may have to await further directives from their respective authorities, as the agreement does not automatically establish that all states have approved the N70,000 monthly intervention.
Politics
Nnamani, Nwobodo, Chime, Ugwuanyi, Arthur Eze, Get Advisory Roles As Mbah Unveils Campaign Council
…Council to Be Inaugurated Tuesday at Enugu International Conference Centre
The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled a formidable campaign structure ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Governor Peter Mbah emerging as Chairman of the Campaign Council comprising 51 directorates.
The council, unveiled on Monday, October 26, brings together prominent political figures, former governors, serving lawmakers, technocrats and party stakeholders in what appears to be a major political mobilisation drive ahead of the elections.
Among those listed for advisory roles are Senator Ken Nnamani, Senator Jim Nwobodo, former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, former Governor Sullivan Chime, immediate past Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Professor Bart Nnaji, business mogul Arthur Eze, Frank Nweke Jr. and Madueke, among others.
According to the list jointly signed by the state APC Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, and Secretary, Hon. Chukwudi Nnadozie, Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai, the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, and Chukwunweike will serve as Vice Chairmen.
Chief Charlie Mbah was appointed Director-General of the Campaign Organisation, while Dr. Eric Oluedo will serve as Secretary-General.
The campaign structure also provides for three Deputy Directors-General representing the state’s senatorial districts.
They are Deacon Okey Ogbodo for Enugu East, Dr. Dan Shere for Enugu North and Hon. S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye for Enugu West.
In the media and publicity directorates, Barr. Steve Oruruo was named Campaign Spokesperson and Director of Public Communication, with Dr. Austin Okolie serving as Co-Spokesperson and Dr. Malachy Agbo as Secretary.
Two members of Governor Mbah’s media team, Mazi Uche Anichukwu and Dan Nwomeh, will head the Directorate of New Media and Strategic Communication and the Directorate of Mainstream Media, respectively.
Dr. Collins Ogbu will serve as Secretary of New Media and Strategic Communication, while Dr. Reuben Onyishi takes the corresponding position in Mainstream Media.
Other key appointments include Barr. Victor Udeh as Director of Administration, while former APC State Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, will head the Fundraising Committee, assisted by Arc. Uche Nwatu as Co-Director.
Former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla (Rtd.), was appointed Chairman of the Security Directorate, with former Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo (Rtd.), serving as Secretary.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology will oversee the Directorate of Government Appointees Coordination, covering federal and state appointees, while Prof. Chidiebere Onyia will serve as Secretary.
Former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odoh, was appointed to head Inter-Party Affairs.
For senatorial coordination, Senator Osita Ngwu will oversee Enugu West, Senator Ikeje Asogwa will coordinate Enugu North, while Senator Kelvin Chukwu takes charge of Enugu East.
Explaining the composition of the council, Chukwunweike and Nnadozie said the extensive campaign structure was deliberately designed to accommodate diverse political interests and ensure grassroots participation across the state.
According to them, the 51 directorates reflect the party’s determination to involve communities, wards, local government areas, professional associations, women, youths, elders and support organisations in its preparations for the 2027 elections.
They stressed that appointments into the council should not be regarded merely as political recognition but as responsibilities requiring commitment and measurable results.
“Appointment into the campaign structure is therefore not merely an honour; it is a call to duty, accountability and measurable contribution,” the statement read.
The unveiling marks a significant organisational step for the Enugu APC as it moves to consolidate its political machinery ahead of the next general elections.
The Campaign Council will be formally inaugurated on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
All appointed members have been directed to be seated before 3pm.
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