Senator Ali Ndume issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu on April 11, 2025, urging him to secure ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s backing for the 2027 elections or risk losing the north’s support.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Ndume reacted to a high-profile visit by Atiku Abubakar and others to Buhari in Kaduna, calling it a wake-up call for Tinubu’s APC. “Buhari has one vote, but his influence is occultic,” Ndume said, describing how even “vegetable sellers and okada riders” would abandon work to greet Buhari. He advised Tinubu to reconcile with Buhari’s allies, like Nasir El-Rufai, who defected to the SDP, and avoid alienating the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) faction that powered Buhari’s 2015 win.
Ndume’s remarks highlight unease within the APC, where Tinubu’s policies—such as naira devaluation—have drawn northern criticism. Buhari, who governed from 2015 to 2023, remains a revered figure despite economic critiques, his silence on Tinubu’s leadership adding intrigue.
Ndume, a Borno senator known for bluntness, warned that Atiku’s outreach shows opposition forces eyeing Buhari’s base, which delivered 12 million votes in 2019. Tinubu’s team downplayed the comments, with aide Bayo Onanuga calling Ndume’s fears “premature.” Yet, with defections and economic woes mounting, Ndume’s call underscores the north’s pivotal role, pushing Tinubu to shore up alliances before the 2027 campaign kicks off.