Share The Power, You Need El-Rufai, Yahaya Bello For 2027

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, has urged President Bola Tinubu not to cut a perception of being against northern politicians within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, politicians who played key roles in President Tinubu’s 2023 victory may also have key roles to play if the President decides to seek re-election in 2027. However, sending a message of perceived marginalization may not serve his political interests well and may have far-reaching implications.

Speaking via a statement made available to newsmen on Monday, Showunmi pointed out the likes of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, saying the current predicaments of the former Governors may be misinterpreted on the political scene.

He said, “President Tinubu’s treatment of these leaders risks undermining the longstanding understanding between the Yoruba and the North, who rallied behind him, particularly against Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso in the 2023 election.”

Making a plea to President Tinubu, Showunmi stressed the need to maintain trust between the southern and northern parts of the country with the 2027 elections in view.

“Power must be shared, and trust must be maintained; I refuse to ignore actions that could have dire consequences for our shared Yoruba heritage and the broader Nigerian society.”

“Upon reflection on the trajectory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his journey to the presidency, I find my mind wondering if my Yoruba Uncle is still the same person that I have always known and admired.

“You might need to think through this to understand me; the Yorubas already carry misconceptions about betrayal, that we don’t keep our end of the bargain, that we use and dump people or that we are cunning around the power play, except for Olusegun Obasanjo who as both as military and civilian head of state, kept his side of the agreement with his partners who got him into power,” he said.

Showunmi said that despite the critical roles both of them played in Tinubu’s victory in 2023, El-Rufai and Bello’s current predicaments may have political consequences in 2027.

He said: “Nasir El-Rufai, say what you will about him, he supported Asiwaju fully during the primaries and the general elections; pray, how has he been treated, same El-Rufai now has a security report that humiliated him during a Senate clearance made up of a majority of Tinubu men! What would the world call that but betrayal?

“Now, Yahaya Adoza Bello who practically fought like a madman to give Asiwaju good numbers in Kogi, not to talk of how he funded and ran the youth campaign with vigour and energy to the extent that I was so jealous compared to the disorganized charade of my PDP.

“Same Yahaya Bello who superintend over the membership registration of APC that to date I cannot but remember comparing the bliss and pageantry to the joke that my PDP ran under the Edo emperor.

“Pray is that the same GYB that is being embarrassed to the level we are all witnessing? If this is not a betrayal, I would like someone to tell me what could be a betrayal more than this.”

The PDP chieftain pointed out that some APC chieftains who worked for Tinubu’s victory are now being marginalized in appointments while those in the opposition are enjoying favours from the President.

He, therefore, called on Tinubu to evaluate his stand and policies so as not to send a wrong political message of betrayal.

“Do you plan to contest a second term or do you think your work will be done in one term of just four years? Shall tomorrow not come? Where are the men of yesterday?

“Akanni omo olodo ide, you know that on a deep level of nation-building, I won’t allow partisan politics to prevent me from saying it as I see it; you may need to understand that power must be shared and that the world over, people must feel protected by an arrangement they help bring about.”

He noted that the president has allowed “PDP people to stroll about” while the ones who worked to give him power are “running helter-skelter.”

He added: “The Yorubas have a saying that “Oni nkan ko ni fe ko baje” the owner of a thing will not want it to get destroyed.

“I see some very good ideas you wish to implement, I get the mess you are trying to clean and you know in your heart of hearts that for me, Segun Showunmi with me, Nigeria comes first.

“Nevertheless, I will not refuse to point out what will have grave consequences for our shared Yoruba race.

“The issues from the Awolowo era have not been resolved with other tribes, especially the Igbos who to date see Yorubas in a bad light but for the efforts of men like Obasanjo, Pa Adebanjo and to a lesser extent myself who have demanded that fair is fair.”

Showunmi also charged President Tinubu not to be misled by his appointees and those closest to him.

“I trust him to fix this mess. I can’t have you make our future, my future hard because some of us will ask people to trust us with power. Won’t they be afraid?” Showunmi stressed.