Despite mounting political maneuvering among some northern power brokers aiming to derail President Bola Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 election, former Minister of Water Resources, Muktar Shagari, has made a strong case for Tinubu’s continued leadership, asserting that the North remains supportive.
Speaking during a televised interview on Arise Television on Friday, May 23, Shagari urged Nigerians to look beyond political scheming and focus on the President’s track record. He emphasized that Tinubu deserves a second term to fully execute his vision for the country.
“The President is doing everything he can to make this country better,” Shagari stated. “Results are now being seen that the country is gradually moving.”
According to Shagari, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) remains united behind Tinubu, and has officially positioned him as its sole candidate for the 2027 election. The move, he said, is aimed at shielding the President from internal distractions and opposition within the party.
“For President Tinubu to be able to implement the programs he promised Nigerians, he needs a second term,” Shagari said. “And we, in the APC believe in him, and we believe that he has the ability and capability to do that. So what we can do is to give him the moral support, the political support, and ensure that nobody distracts him by contesting against him.”
On the perception that the North might not back Tinubu in 2027, Shagari dismissed the notion as unfounded. He insisted that the region has no ill will toward the President and, in fact, appreciates his ongoing efforts—especially in security.
“We will give him all the support he needs to win this election,” he affirmed. “And I want to say that there are people who are saying that, ‘Oh no, Nigerians will not vote for him, northerners and so on.’ In the north, we have nothing against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he’s doing very well in the area of security, especially. I can tell it’s physically now Sokoto security is getting better and better.”
Shagari concluded by reiterating the APC’s firm trust in Tinubu’s leadership and reaffirmed the party’s strategy to keep him focused and undistracted through a unified front.
