In a dramatic royal twist with heavy political weight, the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruq-Umar, has broken his silence ahead of the 2027 general elections—publicly rejecting Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and other top contenders to declare full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His reason? Tinubu’s unmatched loyalty and reverence during the burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu Earns Loyalty Through Death Rituals, Not Campaign Promises
Speaking from his palace in Daura, Katsina State, on Saturday, July 19, during a condolence visit by a delegation of governors’ wives led by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the 97-year-old monarch praised Tinubu’s conduct during Buhari’s death as “unprecedented in Nigeria’s political history.”
“I have never seen a befitting state burial and honour done by a president like what Tinubu has done to Muhammadu Buhari,” the Emir declared. “He came in person, spent days here, declared a public holiday, used a presidential jet to convey the corpse, and personally mourned the late president. That kind of respect will not go unrewarded.”
Obi, Atiku Get the Cold Shoulder
Without mincing words, the Emir ruled out support for other presidential hopefuls, particularly Peter Obi of the Labour Party and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. “They’ve not shown this kind of respect or personal regard,” he said, insisting that his loyalty to Tinubu was a moral and symbolic repayment for the dignity given to Daura and its late son, Muhammadu Buhari.
Political Symbolism Behind the First Lady’s Visit
The visit, led by the First Lady and accompanied by the wives of the Vice President, governors, and Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, marked more than a condolence call. It was a carefully orchestrated show of political alignment between the Tinubu-led presidency and one of the most influential traditional stools in Northern Nigeria.
Oluremi Tinubu described the loss of Buhari as “deeply personal,” calling the late president a “trusted ally and friend of over 30 years” to her husband. Her prayer for Buhari’s eternal rest was laced with subtle political messaging: “This visit is not ceremonial. It is a reaffirmation of our bond with the North and a moment of shared grief.”
Tinubu’s Northern Gamble & Rising Prophetic Warnings
But while the Emir’s endorsement offers Tinubu a major boost in the North ahead of 2027, spiritual warnings are already casting shadows over the presidency’s confidence. Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele, founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, issued a dire caution to Tinubu, warning that “northern elites are desperate to remove the president at all costs.”
The cleric advised Tinubu to “beware of sycophants” and seek divine guidance urgently, stating that betrayal could come from the very regions that once backed him.
Reno Omokri, Too, Switches Sides
Interestingly, Reno Omokri, former media aide to Goodluck Jonathan and once a fierce critic of Tinubu, has now thrown his support behind the president—further signaling a growing political migration toward the incumbent amid a fragmented opposition.
The Emir’s endorsement is more than a traditional blessing—it’s a royal seal of political trust in a region where monarchs still shape minds and votes. But whether this act of loyalty over Buhari’s burial will translate into votes in 2027 remains to be seen. With prophetic warnings, northern realignments, and opposition regrouping, one thing is clear: the battle for 2027 has moved beyond manifestos—it’s now a matter of memory, honour, and strategic symbolism.
This is a developing political story. Stay tuned for coalition reactions and opposition responses.
