According to The Nation News, August 1, 2025, former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has added his voice to the ongoing discourse surrounding claims of Northern marginalisation in the Tinubu-led administration’s distribution of democratic dividends.
Aliyu, who refers to himself as the Chief Servant and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, stressed that the principle of power rotation is now a settled political norm in Nigeria.
He argued that the South should be allowed to complete its two presidential terms in keeping with the rotational arrangement that began in 1999.
This came during a government-citizen engagement organised by the foundation in Kaduna, where northern members of the Tinubu administration presented the government’s performance report to the people.
The Foundation assessed the government’s achievements across key sectors and described them as commendable.
Aliyu backed the communiqué issued at the end of the session, despite criticisms from some Northern political figures who allege that the region is being sidelined in the allocation of federal projects.
In response to individuals pushing for a Northern candidate in 2027, Aliyu, while appearing on a national television program yesterday, challenged them to present a credible alternative to the current ruling party.
He urged Northerners to allow the President more time, warning against the temptation to abandon the zoning formula that has long influenced party strategies and electoral decisions.
A prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aliyu also spoke about the rising ethnic tensions fuelled by divisive narratives, the suggestion of limiting the presidency to a single term for either region, the administration’s developmental strides, the disconnect between public office holders and their communities, and other pressing national matters.
He acknowledged the accomplishments of President Tinubu so far but called on the government to address prevailing perception challenges by improving its communication and public engagement strategies.
Aliyu expressed dissatisfaction that the communiqué issued after the two-day event in Kaduna did not fully highlight Tinubu’s achievements over the past two years.
He dismissed allegations that the North is being marginalised, pointing out that a region that currently holds positions such as the National Security Adviser (NSA), two Ministers of Defence, and two Ministers of Agriculture cannot be regarded as excluded.
He said, “They say they want to remove the APC and also remove President Tinubu. But some people say it’s a mission impossible.”
He continued by questioning the viability of the opposition’s plan: “My argument had always been, what is the alternative? What is it if you want to remove this or that government, or that governor, or that president?
“What is the alternative that you are offering to the people? Are you offering anything better than what we have at the moment?
“In addition to that, even though it’s unconstitutional, we seem to have accepted our rotation.”
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