In a fiery and calculated move ahead of the 2027 general elections, Femi Gbajabiamila—President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff—has sparked a new wave of political tension after demanding that Northern leaders rally behind Tinubu’s second-term bid. At a high-stakes meeting with ex-lawmakers in Abuja, Gbajabiamila didn’t mince words: “It’s time for the North to return the favour.”
The meeting, which took place during the 2025 Northern Caucus Dialogue of the National Forum of Former Legislators, turned heads and raised eyebrows. Gbajabiamila, a longtime loyalist of Tinubu, painted the president as a unifying statesman who has carried “every region” along—but his message to the North was crystal clear: Tinubu deserves loyalty, not sabotage.
“President Tinubu is not just a Southern leader; he is a national leader who has shown fairness to all zones, especially the North,” Gbajabiamila insisted, pointing to infrastructure projects and agricultural investments across Northern states as proof.
But critics say Gbajabiamila’s tone was anything but diplomatic—it was political blackmail dressed as patriotic appeal.
OMOKRI JOINS THE FRAY – “LET TINUBU FINISH HIS 8 YEARS!”
Backing Gbajabiamila’s statement was controversial political commentator and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, who waded into the storm with his own explosive remarks. According to Omokri, it’s the moral duty of the North to allow Tinubu serve his full eight-year tenure.
In a biting reminder, Omokri accused Northern elites of sabotaging Goodluck Jonathan’s second term in 2015—an act he claims fractured national unity.
“Let’s not repeat 2015. If you blocked Jonathan, and now you block Tinubu, then you’re clearly anti-South. Let Tinubu finish what he started—for the sake of Nigeria’s stability,” Omokri warned.
But not everyone is buying the appeal.
DIVISION IN THE NORTH – WHISPERS OF REJECTION
Despite Gbajabiamila’s push and Omokri’s support, several northern political stakeholders are reportedly unimpressed. Within the National Assembly and political backchannels, murmurs are growing louder: some believe Tinubu is promoting “an anti-North agenda.”
One former governor reportedly told Legit.ng off-record that, “This whole push feels more like emotional blackmail than a genuine call for unity.”
Meanwhile, a new political axis led by the Atiku-Obi-Amaechi ADC Coalition is gaining traction, promising to “dismantle the Tinubu machinery” ahead of 2027. With defections looming and power plays shifting, the battle lines are already being drawn.
2027: A REGION DIVIDED, A NATION WATCHING
As the 2027 elections inch closer, one thing is clear: the North is being courted, cajoled, and—some say—coerced into backing Tinubu again. But will emotional appeals and political loyalty override growing dissent?
The next few months will reveal whether Gbajabiamila’s bold gambit wins hearts—or sparks rebellion.
Stay tuned for updates as alliances shift, accusations fly, and Nigeria inches closer to another defining election.
