Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has warned that President Bola Tinubu risks losing re-election in 2027 unless he takes urgent steps to appease the North.
Lawal, once a close ally of Tinubu, stated that the President’s economic policies have worsened poverty in the region, creating widespread dissatisfaction.
He stressed that unless Tinubu addresses the current hardship and listens to the concerns of Nigerians, particularly in the North, he will face strong opposition in the next election.
He said, “Let him run a good programme that will remove the poverty in the land. It’s not about him but his bad policies. They are throwing every Nigerian, and particularly the North, into distress. Let him make good policies. Let him listen.
“Unfortunately, when they give them a piece of advice, they will release their attack dogs and even his information managers to go after you. The right to even dissent is now a crime in northern Nigeria. He’s locking up all our boys that are publicly complaining about his policies. So, all these things also add to the tension in the North.
“If Tinubu were to change and Nigerians are happy, we will hail him. When you do the right thing, and Nigerians are happy, nobody will bother about how he came to the government. Now, he is rigging the lives of our people from existence,” Lawal said in an interview.
He also accused the government of suppressing dissent, claiming that individuals who criticize Tinubu’s policies are being targeted and silenced.
Lawal further hinted that the North could unite to deny Tinubu a second term, similar to how former President Goodluck Jonathan was voted out in 2015.
“As for the Goodluck Jonathan treatment, it is possible. In 2015, Jonathan spent a lot of money, people collected it and promised votes, but they stayed at home and didn’t vote. The same could happen in 2027,” he warned.
