Olusegun Ariyo
Ayo Oyalowo, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says President Bola Tinubu still has strong backing in northern Nigeria despite what some political elites claim.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Oyalowo dismissed suggestions that the president has lost his northern base ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Tinubu has no problem with the North. Today, the North is well represented in this government. Right now, some of the key positions in this government are occupied by Northerners,” he said.
He pointed to the recent appointment of the Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) from Kano as an example.
He added that those who claim otherwise are only upset because they didn’t get what they were looking for.
Oyalowo also mentioned recent videos showing students in Sokoto and Bauchi celebrating after the federal government settled their school fees through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
“That video was not from Ogbomoso or Lagos; it was Sokoto. Those are real human beings… students came out thanking Tinubu for paying their fees,” he said.
He accused some Nigerians of focusing only on the country’s economic hardship while ignoring “the good that is happening.”
Oyalowo further said northern governors have openly commended Tinubu’s efforts in the region.
“Did you listen to the governor of Katsina? Did you hear the governor of Kaduna?
These are the leaders in the North right now, and they are informing their people about what Bola Tinubu has done for them,” he said.
While acknowledging that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has remained critical of Tinubu, he insisted that the real northern people still support the president.
