Denying Tinubu second term could trigger political crisis — Ex-NAHCON boss

The immediate past chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Sheikh Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, has warned that denying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a second term in office could trigger a political crisis, urging Nigerians to uphold fairness in power rotation between the North and South.

Pakistan said Tinubu should be allowed to complete two terms in office, just as former President Muhammadu Buhari did, warning that rejecting political leaders based on their region of origin could threaten the country’s political stability.

He spoke while addressing youth groups at his residence in Kano amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“We have to be fair to Tinubu. The type of politics we are playing, where we reject somebody because of the region he came from, is dangerous. If we sustain this, we will suffer in the future,” he said.

The former NAHCON chairman questioned why some Nigerians were working to prevent Tinubu from securing a second term despite the president’s support for Buhari’s re-election bids, which enabled him to complete eight years in office.

“The way Tinubu supported late Muhammadu Buhari and insisted that he completed his two terms, even though he was ill, and now some people are working hard to deny Tinubu a second term, we will fling the country into a political crisis in the future,” he said.

“Nobody will allow any northerner to take two terms,” Pakistan added.

On insecurity, the former commission chairman argued that Tinubu inherited major security challenges, including the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry, which he said became prominent during Buhari’s administration.

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He noted that although the Boko Haram insurgency predated Buhari’s presidency, banditry and widespread kidnapping in parts of the North-West became significant security concerns during the former president’s tenure.

“If you look at insecurity used by some politicians to campaign, up to the time Buhari became president, there was no kidnapping. There were no kidnapping cases in Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi states.

“Kidnapping started under Buhari. Of course, Buhari inherited Boko Haram insurgency, but banditry started under him. This means that Tinubu inherited two major security challenges: kidnapping and Boko Haram insurgency,” he said.

Pakistan also claimed that the security situation along the Abuja-Kaduna highway had improved under Tinubu, allowing travellers to undertake the journey with less fear than during the previous administration.

He recalled that travelling between Abuja and Kaduna had become extremely dangerous during Buhari’s tenure, with passengers often remaining anxious until they reached their destinations.

“Up to the time Buhari finished his second term in office, a journey from Abuja to Kaduna was suicidal. You only heaved a sigh of relief when you arrived in Kaduna.

“But now you can leave Abuja at 12am and arrive at Kaduna safely. It means there is an improvement,” he said.

The former NAHCON chairman also recalled attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna train service by kidnappers, saying the incidents heightened passengers’ fears and undermined confidence in rail transportation.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration had made progress in addressing the country’s security challenges, although insecurity remains a major concern in several parts of the country.

On the economy, Pakistan cited what he described as a reduction in the prices of some food commodities, particularly rice and millet, as evidence of improvement under the current administration.

He compared the prices of the commodities during Buhari’s administration with their current prices, saying the price of a bag of rice had dropped from ₦120,000 to ₦57,500.

“Under Buhari, a bag of rice sold for ₦120,000, but today it is ₦57,500. It is less than half the amount under Tinubu,” he said.

Pakistan, who identified himself as a farmer, added that the price of a bag of millet had also declined from ₦85,000 during Buhari’s administration to about ₦30,000.

“As a farmer, under Buhari I sold a bag of millet for ₦85,000. But today it is sold for about ₦30,000,” he said.

His remarks come as political parties and interest groups intensify consultations and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with regional power rotation emerging as a major issue in the debate over Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Pakistan’s position underscores the growing argument among some political stakeholders that considerations of fairness, continuity and regional balance should influence discussions about the presidency in 2027.