The growing opposition to President Bola Tinubu is being seen by many as a Northern-led movement, sources suggest that the main drivers of the anti-Tinubu coalition are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, as reported by VANGUARD.
Observers say the coalition is widely viewed as a Northern affair, prompting Tinubu to increase his political efforts in other parts of the country.
He has been actively building support in the South-South and South-East regions.
Recently, he visited Katsina State to meet with military troops and key Northern leaders.
Analysts believe this was part of his strategy to address the perception that the North is against his leadership.
A political insider revealed that although the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) controls 15 states in the North, the Presidency is working hard to ensure these governors remain loyal ahead of the 2027 elections.
The insider noted that some Northern leaders might still act against Tinubu’s re-election plans, even while in the same party.
He warned that political loyalty in the North cannot be fully guaranteed.
He said that if there is a strong Northern agenda, some governors may act outside party lines.
“The anti-Tinubu coalition is viewed as a Northern affair, most people are of the view that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, are the drivers of the coalition and that is why Tinubu is very aggressive with his defection drive.”
“You know the APC has 15 states in the North and I don’t see them working against their party except they engage in anti-party activities in 2027 due to the Northern agenda. The North cannot be trusted on this,” he said.
