In a recent exposé published by The SUN, Anthony Sani, the Former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has fervently discredited the assertions made by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) regarding their purported pivotal role in securing President Bola Tinubu's victory in the consequential 2023 presidential election.
During an insightful interview conducted in Kaduna, Sani astutely underscored that the pivotal factor behind Tinubu's triumph both in the primaries and the subsequent presidential elections was the concerted efforts of the All Progressive Congress (APC) northern governors, thus relegating NEF's claims to insignificance.
In response to inquiries regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's historic ascendance to office on May 29, 2023, which marked a significant political paradigm shift in Nigeria's political landscape with the full integration of the South-West region into the national political discourse, doubts arose about the North's willingness to support Tinubu's potential bid for a second tenure in 2027.
Sani cogently rebuffed such insinuations, elucidating the historical instances where the North exhibited its support for Southern candidates, such as Chief M.K.O Abiola against Bashir Tofa, despite losing ground even in Kano. He further highlighted the instrumental role the North played in facilitating the emergence of President Obasanjo in 1999 and the crucial backing provided by APC governors from the North in securing Tinubu's victory in the 2023 elections.
However, Sani cautioned against premature conclusions, citing the need for President Tinubu to navigate the intricate dynamics of governance, emphasizing the imperative of balancing competing interests and fostering cohesion among diverse socio-political constituencies.
In his words: "The North has the right to complain of skewed political patronages by President Bola Tinubu against the North, especially when regard is paid to the fact that multiparty democracy is a matter of group interest, group goal, group cohesion, group coherence and group conspiracy."