ATIKU IS NORTH’S ENEMY- AKUME
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BY JENN NOMAMIUKOR
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) launched its presidential campaign in Kaduna on Saturday.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, stated that anyone from the North running for the 2027 presidential election is considered an enemy of the region.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is the only prominent northern politician aiming to challenge incumbent President Bola Tinubu in the upcoming presidential election.
He reminded Northerners of the agreement on power rotation between the North and the South, which was reached in Kaduna State to maintain national unity.
His spokesman, Yomi Odunuga, stated in a Saturday press release that the SGF addressed a pre–campaign meeting with a large gathering of Benue State residents living in Kaduna.
“Remember that it was in this same Kaduna State that we agreed on power rotation between the North and the South. You cannot doubt the credentials of those that reached this agreement at that time, and it was done to keep this country together. We agreed on power shift, and that is what has kept this country going. That is what has retained our territorial integrity,” Akume said.
On that basis, he declared that any Northerner seeking to contest the 2027 presidential election is an enemy of the North, insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains the right candidate to lead Nigeria beyond 2027.
“Anybody who is from the North and running for the presidency is an enemy of the North. Don’t allow that pretender to deceive you. It is not yet our turn. The North’s turn is in 2031. Prepare to vote for Tinubu. Do not allow anyone to destroy the country because of a vaunting personal ambition,” he said.
The SGF urged the North to back Tinubu’s re-election bid and wait until 2031 before seeking to return to the presidency. He warned that individual political ambitions should not be allowed to undermine the region’s collective interests.
Akume, a former Governor of Benue State, urged Northerners to remain united and resist political manoeuvres capable of weakening the region’s influence. He cautioned against attempts to divide them along political, religious and personal lines, and recalled past political disagreements among Nigerian leaders, warning against repeating mistakes that could weaken the North in national politics.
He said the North stands to benefit more from supporting Tinubu’s second-term ambition than from allowing individual political interests to create divisions ahead of the next general elections.
Defending the president’s record, the SGF said Tinubu has been fair to all in appointments and does not favour one religion over another.
“Let us remember that the President has been fair to all in terms of appointments and others. He doesn’t favour one religion over the other. Just look at the figures. So be careful about what people tell you,” he said.
Akume also told his audience that the president has shown his love for Benue State through significant projects.
“Let nobody deceive you; Asiwaju loves Benue, and he has displayed that in the number of significant projects the Federal Government is carrying out simultaneously in the state. These projects are diverse in healthcare, roads, education and others. This is being replicated throughout the federation. For example, in the area of education, over 65 per cent of NELFUND has been accessed, and most of them are from the North,” he said.
Apparently taking a swipe at Atiku, he said, “Forget that other one making noise that he was going to remove fuel subsidy. He is always flip-flopping. He says something today and changes gear the next minute.”
The SGF praised Governor Uba Sani and called for his return to office.
“Kaduna State is a historic city that gave us meaning and purpose. So, this is your home too, as Benue State citizens living here. The present governor, Senator Uba Sani, believes in that vision of Saudauna. He is a great man. I want to appeal to you that there is none like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
“I was the governor of Benue State, and the Fulanis were there. It is about leadership. If Asiwaju was not a good leader, I would not tell you otherwise. I will still come to Kaduna to speak with you. Your governor is a good man, and he has done well for this state. Let us return him to power too,” he said.
The SGF also talked about the importance of national unity, peaceful living, and working together among Nigeria’s different ethnic and religious groups.He encouraged people to keep their cultural identities and traditions to help build better understanding between communities.
He said to the group, “I believe you are here because you believe in me and because you want to see your son, and that is me in flesh and blood.”
Those who came with Akume included a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Saminu Turaki; Dame Pauline Tallen; Senator Abu Ibrahim; the Minister of Water Resources, Prof.
Joseph Utsev; and the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu.
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