Babangida Aliyu, the former governor of Niger State, has expressed that President Bola Tinubu should be granted the opportunity to pursue a second term in office, citing the gentleman’s agreement regarding power rotation.
During an appearance on ‘The Morning Show’ on Arise Television, Aliyu remarked that northern politicians aiming for power in 2027 under the ADC banner could potentially complicate matters for the northern region.
“I have heard many of the presidential aspirants (in ADC) already saying they will serve one term,” he stated.
READ ALSO: Obi stands a better chance in defeating Tinubu over Atiku – Bashir El-Rufai
“If a northerner says he’s serving one term, what problem is he creating for the north? If we could tolerate the late Muhammadu Buhari for eight years, oh my God, let’s try it… maybe by 2031, we can jettison the arrangement if we find it convenient.
“For now, only governors and lawmakers are defecting. By 2031, you may end up with a presidential defection. Is that not a constitutional issue? So, for me, who will win the election will depend on what happens in the next one and a half years. And that is to say, if the government can correct some of the observable anomalies, I don’t see a problem.”
Regarding the possibility of the ADC displacing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu, Aliyu urged opposition parties to offer credible alternatives.
“My argument has always been, what is the alternative? What is it if you want to remove this or that government or that governor or that president? What is the alternative that you’re offering to the people?” he questioned.
The former chief servant leader as he was popularly called while in office also pointed out a notable communication gap between the government and the populace, indicating that government officials have been either hesitant or ineffective in sharing achievements with the public.
As the chairman of the board of trustees for the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), he noted that while many government agencies and institutions have performed admirably, the general public remains largely uninformed.
“You do not depend only on the ministry of information to be able to communicate with the citizens. Every minister, every head of a parastatal, should be able to tell the people what they have been doing,” he emphasized.
“In other words, the government needs to be more of an advocate. What we have seen so far is that the government is doing well, but they do not, or the government does not know how to communicate very well.”
