In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Senator Shehu Sani, a prominent human rights advocate and public commentator, shared insights into the recent Sallah homage paid to former President Muhammadu Buhari by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other Northern elites. According to Sani, this visit was not merely a gesture of goodwill but a strategic move aimed at undermining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration and positioning for a political takeover in 2027. Atiku Abubakar, who ran as the presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in both 2019 and 2023, seems to be rallying support to unseat Tinubu in the next election cycle.
The visit, which took place in Daura, Buhari’s hometown, was interpreted by Sani as a calculated effort to create a narrative that paints Tinubu in a negative light. Sani suggested that the gathering was less about maintaining brotherly ties and more about formulating a plan to discredit Tinubu. He believes that Atiku and his allies are gearing up to depict Tinubu as an ethnicist and a regionalist who has failed to honor his commitments to Northern Nigeria. According to Sani, this portrayal is intended to resonate with Northern voters, stirring dissatisfaction and mobilizing them against Tinubu.
Sani elaborated on the strategy he believes is being employed by Atiku and his cohort. He argued that they aim to frame Tinubu as someone who has betrayed the trust of Northern Nigeria, despite the region's significant electoral support for him. By promoting this narrative, they hope to galvanize the Northern masses, fostering a sense of betrayal and injustice. This approach, Sani contends, is designed to erode Tinubu’s political base and build a groundswell of opposition that could be pivotal in the 2027 elections.
The ultimate goal, according to Sani, is to seize power by convincing the Northern electorate that Tinubu’s administration is not serving their interests. He believes that by effectively communicating this message, Atiku and his allies hope to rally enough support to unseat Tinubu in the next presidential election. This strategy, if successful, could significantly reshape the political landscape in Nigeria, highlighting the ongoing maneuvering and power struggles within the country's political elite.
He said: What they are trying to do is to present Tinubu as a bad case, as an ethnicist, as a regionalist, as a person who betrayed Northern Nigeria, as a man who was voted by the North, but he is serving his own people and the need for Northerners to wake up and evict him out of power. It is their strategy. And they want to do that by making sure that that idea is sold to the Northern masses and then, from there, they seize power.