North planning what some PDP govs did in 2015 to Jonathan
By Alade Adisa
While it is two years away, preparation for the presidential election in 2027 is already in top gear among political leaders as to who to vote for in the poll.
Checks by New Daily Prime showed that the recent attacks and counter attacks between the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed and top shots in the All Progressives Congress, APC, as well as in the Bola Tinubu administration are connected to jostling for political relevance and giving indications of what to expect.
For instance, recently the governor took a swipe at the foreign policies of the Tinubu administration and gave the government a knock.
The development led to counter attacks from Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who is from the state.
The governor had earlier in an interview with BBC Hausa service accused the minister of not handling the country’s diplomatic affairs effectively, advising him to correct his mistakes before attempting to correct someone else’s. He added that it was disappointing that the minister “is our son.”
He also faulted the federal government handling of military coups in some neighbouring countries and how it failed to appoint ambassadors to different countries.
The governor has been critical of the Bola Tinubu administration lately, especially in the ongoing debate on tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly.
But the minister, in an interview with BBC
Hausa service countered saying, “Bauchi State has received over N8.8 billion in October, and N9 billion in November, but there is nothing to show on ground in the state.”
It was gathered that the North is not comfortable with some policies of the Tinubu administration, including the Tax Reform Bills currently before the National Assembly.
The main objection for the region to the bill is in the area of applying derivation to the distribution of Value Added Tax.
Also, the region is complaining of marginalization in the appointments so far made by the President.
“It is not Bala Mohammed speaking for himself. I must say he is speaking for the North. Most of the leaders are not comfortable with some policies of the current government. Look at the manner the issue of the coup in Niger was handled. It was not until the leaders said any action against Niger is against the North that the President soft-pedalled.
“The Tax Reform Bills may eventually go the way of the Petroleum Industry Bill which took years to pass and had to be watered down. The North is already planning what to do in 2027. What some Peoples Democratic Party governors did in 2015 when they worked against their party’s candidate in the presidential poll may be in the offing. Some APC governors are delighted in how Bauchi governor is confronting the Tinubu government. How many APC governors in the North have come out to openly rebuff Bala Mohammed for what he is saying? A source told our correspondent.
Relatedly, the permutations for the 2027 general elections have put a wedge between Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and his erstwhile friend, Nyesom Wike, former Rivers State governor who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Makinde, who was among PDP governors that worked against Atiku Abubakar, their party’s candidate in the 2023 elections with Wike being the Chief Organizer, is now eyeing the vice presidential ticket of the party.
Though he came out recently to declare his intention to contest the presidency in 2027, signs that the North would want to field a candidate and possibly vote him or her enbloc, has made him to have a rethink.
“Nobody can’t take the APC ticket from Tinubu but from the look of things, the North would want to get the presidency back. To bridge the gap created by the death of Umar Yar Adua and also, they are not okay with the way Tinubu is going,” a source said.
Makinde would finish his second term in office in 2027 and if the North gets a candidate in 2027, the deputy expected from the South could be from the Southwest and the governor fits the bill.
