The northern region is still licking its wounds sustained during the last general elections when it failed to retain power. It presented two main candidates – Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, who has become a regular face in the presidential campaign posters and Rabiu Kwankwaso, a veteran politician from Kano State.
He was able to gather more than 1 million votes in Kano State, which could have helped Atiku close the margin between him and the winner, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress. If Rabiu Kwankwaso had stepped down for Atiku Abubakar, victory might be elusive to Tinubu. But the division in the north paved the way for the APC candidate. Interestingly to note, the region is still divided.
It’s true that the southern region is not united. The bottom line is that it would have been easier for the northern region to have the power if it had presented only one candidate to face the several ones coming from the southern region.
Mr. Kwankwaso along with Donald Duke was at the residence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He went to “discuss national issues” with the former leader of the country. One should understand that it was part of the scheming for the next general elections, but he would rather say that he was concerned about the national issues of Nigeria.
Kwankwaso has never said he would not run for the seat of power again. As a matter of fact, he has taken more steps that other potential candidates for the election. He has had meetings with Peter Obi, the second runner-up in the last polls, and has met Atiku Abubakar. There was a time he was having some romance with former Kaduna State governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
Yet Atiku Abubakar’s body language shows that he believes he can still make it. He likened his condition to that of Donald Trump. In his congratulatory message to the former United States president, Atiku noted the spirit of not giving up. The implication is that the former Nigerian vice president would still throw his hat into the ring even though he would be well above 80 by that time.
He was in his home state Adamawa last month for the convocation ceremony of his American University of Nigeria. When Atiku’s private jet landed, enthusiasts and supporters displayed his 2027 campaign posters to his happiness. He waved at them indicating his acceptance of their gestures and he would be ready to contest again.
Meanwhile, Nasir El-Rufai is also in the game. If he had an appointment in the cabinet of Bola Tinubu, he wouldn’t contemplate contesting for the seat. But despite his contribution to the success of the All Progressives Congress and its presidential candidate, the former Kaduna State governor got nothing in return. He himself would throw his hat into the ring, and consequently divide the votes from the northern region.
The Arewa North is complaining being sidelined by Tinubu. The region has pointed at the appointment of the president. Core Yoruba people from southwestern region control both the economy and security of the country at this moment. The north has never had it this bad. Hence, it aspires to return to power in 2027 leaving just four years for the south, and of course Bola Tinubu.
However, the region has not learned from the past. If it continues like this (all of Kwankwaso, Atiku, Bala Mohammed, Nasir El-Rufai working individually), they may be boosting the chance of Tinubu’s reelection while attempting to defeat him.
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