By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Senator Ali Ndume has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be worried over his 2027 presidential ambition given the ongoing moves by coalition forces seeking to challenge him.
He spoke on the same day that key opposition figures who have not hidden their determination to challenge President Tinubu at the polls in the next general elections, paid a visit to former president Muhammadu Buhari at his Kaduna residence.
They were led by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
Senator Ndume stressed that Tinubu should be worried if ex-President Muhammadu Buhari is not on his side ahead of the 2027 election given his political influence and cult followership in the North.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, the lawmaker said although Buhari has just one vote, he remains an adorable figure in Northern Nigeria.
The senator said he was also planning a visit to Buhari.
He said while Buhari’s followership and political clout may have diminished having left office, his influence cannot be wished away.
He said, “Buhari’s followership has diminished naturally because it is different when you are not in power and after spending like eight years in power. Of course his popularity, everything has diminished, it is natural, but you can’t write him off especially with the Northern masses. The followership of Buhari has been occultic. You cannot explain it.
“If Buhari is coming here now, you will see people rushing to see. Everybody including those in the vegetable market will rush here. Buhari is still with the Talakawas
“Tinubu should be worried if Buhari is not on his side. Every number counts and Buhari has one vote. Tinubu should also be worried about my position because I have one vote for him. He does not have a vote for me.”
When asked on what political value or relevance Buhari has presently in today’s Nigeria, he said the fact that he is a former president with large followership among the masses in the North, cannot be wished away.
When told that Buhari did not support Tinubu in 2023, Ndume disagreed, saying, Buhari, though not actively involved on the field, supported Tinubu.
“But you know that I should know better than you on that. I know Buhari. If Buhari says he doesn’t like you, he even shows it on his face. He’s not the type of person that will play a double game. Maybe you could say he did not actively work for him. But definitely, he supported the president.
“And he has said it time and time again. Buhari is that type of person that if he’s not supporting you, he will tell you he’s not supporting you. So it’s just this side talk there. I’ve not discussed with him, but I know that he supported Tinubu”.
Asked whether he has plans to defect to SDP or PDP, Ndume said ‘no.’
On whether the ruling APC should be worried about the alleged move by the CPC block to pull out and join the SDP, Ndume said such threat should not be brushed aside, saying every vote matters.
Why gladiators are agitating to leave APC
He said the agitations by political gladiators to leave the ruling party was because their interests were not being served
“If people say that their interests will not be served very well in a particular place, they move, especially in Nigeria, where politics is more of a platform, not ideology. The people can move around and it doesn’t prick their conscience”, he said.
Ndume said the failure of the APC-led government to carry along those that worked for the victory of the party was one of the reasons causing the discontent.
He said two years into the government; many people feel they have been abandoned and don’t have access to the president.
Ndume said when he tried to draw the attention of the president, he was vilified and attacked instead of addressing the issue.
“Instead, you come back on the pages of the newspapers, start abusing the messenger, instead of addressing the message. And that’s very, very dangerous”, he added.
On Tinubu’s chances in 2027
When asked about the chances of President Tinubu in the 2027 election given the current state of affairs, Ndume said there should be cause for worry both on circumstantial and evidential grounds.
He said, “circumstantially and also evidently. Why I say circumstantially is because there is a global downturn that contributes to the economic downturn, increase in inflation and downturn in the value of the naira. And then, if you look at the presidency itself, being unable to carry people effectively, especially politicians…”.
I’m not afraid of backlash
Ndume said he knew his views would generate backlash but added that he was ready for it. “I don’t care. I said it before when I was on Arise TV.”
Dailytrust