The Presidency has affirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is entitled to seek a second term in office, just as his predecessor, the late President Muhammadu Buhari, did.
This assertion was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, during an interview with Trust Radio on Wednesday.
Mr Onanuga called on political leaders from Northern Nigeria to exercise patience and allow the South to complete its turn in power under the country’s unwritten zoning agreement. He argued that the South had endured eight years under Buhari’s presidency and, as such, deserves the same opportunity.
“This president is a Nigerian. He deserves the same two terms that Buhari had. Let’s not sacrifice the country for personal ambition,” Onanuga stated.
Addressing recent claims of marginalisation from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the presidential aide dismissed the allegations as an underhanded attempt to discredit the Tinubu-led administration. He argued that the criticisms levelled against President Tinubu are part of a broader political effort to weaken his government due to his Southern background.
He further challenged those accusing the administration of favouring the South-West in federal appointments to present concrete, verifiable evidence rather than relying on generalised accusations.
“Critics must back their claims with facts. You need to get your statistics right. It’s all political mischief designed to undermine the President,” he said.
Onanuga also responded to concerns over infrastructure development in the North, insisting that the current administration had inherited numerous incomplete and abandoned projects from previous governments. He emphasised that infrastructural challenges are a nationwide issue, not exclusive to the North.
“There are bad roads across the country, not just in the North,” he said.
Citing specific examples of Northern representation in government, Onanuga pointed out that key security positions remain in the hands of Northerners.
“The National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, and the two Defence Ministers are all Northerners,” he noted, adding that the security situation across many previously troubled areas has improved.
“Places like Birnin Gwari and Igabi in Kaduna are now safer. I drove from Kaduna to Abuja without incident – a journey that was once unthinkable,” he said.
The Presidency’s remarks come amid growing political debate surrounding regional representation and equity in national governance, as well as early speculation about President Tinubu’s political future.
