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According to former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal, the North will never forgive President Bola Tinubu for the hardships his economic reforms have caused there.

Lawal, a former Tinubu ally who is now a critic, made this assertion in an interview with Punch, echoing concerns about the increasing unrest in the north voiced by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

According to Lawal, the North feels misled by the impact of Tinubu’s initiatives, which he described as “nail-biting reforms” that have deepened poverty and economic distress across the region.

Lawal’s statements align with recent warnings from Nasir El-Rufai, who prophesied that President Tinubu may confront a political revolt in 2027 similar to what happened to Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

El-Rufai posted an opinion by APC member Uche Diala titled “2027: South West, Tinubu’s supporters playing with fire – Part 1” via his verified X profile (previously Twitter).

According to the article, throughout his two years in office, Tinubu’s relations with the North have substantially worsened.

Lawal said, addressing the former governor’s position, “The North is seriously mobilising with a consensus that Bola Tinubu must give way in the 2027 election. This is no doubt about the consensus. There’s no argument about that. I may not have been supporting El-Rufai’s position. But on this one, I will join him to see how we can stop Bola Tinubu from winning the 2027 election. Because if he does win, you know there will be one large refugee camp.

“So, there’s that consensus. Everybody understands that if we are to continue with these policies for another four years, northern Nigeria will become one large refugee camp. So, there’s a consensus that for self-preservation alone, we must look for another candidate.”

Babachir stated that the candidate’s state of origin is irrelevant, emphasizing that what matters is that the candidate comprehends the necessity of a single Nigeria.

He added, “Now, that is where quite a number of people think that it is only right to find someone who is patriotic and sees Nigeria as one, even if it’s from the South or the North. Some want it to come from the South while others are saying we cannot take the risk of bringing a southerner for self-preservation alone. So, that is where the divergence is.

“But we all agree that we must look for a substitute for Bola Tinubu. Unfortunately, quite a lot of people like Ganduje and other northerners benefiting directly from this government are just irritants. They are people who are talking to justify their positions in this rogue government. So they are justifying their place in it not caring what the other parts of northern Nigeria are going through.

“So, if we can get a good southerner that can rule with equity, we are okay. It’s not actually about the elite consensus. It’s about the masses and what they are saying at the bottom. Even if some elite pretend to be supporting Bola, they will not vote for him because they are the ones at the receiving end of this thing. They are also the ones directing us, political elites of northern origin, to make sure this man doesn’t have a second chance.”

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