‘Tinubu Must Go’ vs ‘Tinubu Must Stay’: Forces behind campaigns

As Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections, the rival campaigns of “Tinubu Must Go” and “Tinubu Must Stay” have emerged as competing expressions of public dissatisfaction and political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While one seeks to mobilise Nigerians against his re-election, the other argues that his administration deserves another term to consolidate its economic reforms. The campaigns have moved beyond the social media into political meetings, public statements and street demonstrations, raising questions about their organisers, geographical reach and implications for national stability. 

Who is behind ‘Tinubu Must Go’?

The ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement is associated with a human rights lawyer, Abba Hikima and fellow activist, Hamza Nuhu Dantani, who have presented it as a non-partisan platform for mobilising Nigerians against Tinubu’s second term ambition. Its demands centre on economic hardship, insecurity, rising living cost and what its supporters describe as the administration’s failure to meet public expectations.

The movement gained prominence during the June 12, 2026 Democracy Day protests. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, subsequently endorsed the campaign after meeting Hikima in Abuja. Atiku’s endorsement gives the movement a connection to opposition’s broader efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, for instance, criticised the Borno State governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, over the arrest and prosecution of the five men in Maiduguri for allegedly wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription: “Tinubu Must Go.”

In a statement, Dalung questioned whether the men were being prosecuted simply because their political message opposed President Bola Tinubu.

Calling for the charges against the five men to be dropped and their release, Dalung said: “Borno is not a political detention centre. And Governor Zulum must understand that disagreeing with Tinubu is not a crime.”

However, the police offered a different account. According to the Borno State police command, the men were arrested during a routine patrol on September 25, 2026, and were allegedly found with suspected illicit drugs and other items, in addition to two T-shirts bearing the disputed slogan. The men face charges, including criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, breach of public peace and thuggery. The allegations remain subject to judicial determination.

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewale Adebayo, also condemned the prosecution of the five men in Maiduguri over their alleged involvement in the “Tinubu Must Go” campaign. 

In a statement issued by the Movement for Adebayo for President (MAP) on October 13, 2026, Adebayo called for the men’s immediate release, arguing that Nigerians should be free to criticise government policies and express dissatisfaction with elected leaders without fear of intimidation or punishment.

He maintained that wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go” did not in itself constitute a criminal offence. He also urged the Borno State Government, the police and the federal government to respect citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful political expression.

The Maiduguri case took a significant turn on October 6, 2026 when a court granted the five men bail. The men – Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed – pleaded not guilty.

Their arrest sparked criticism from Amnesty International. The ADC also condemned the arrest, while other Nigerians also questioned whether wearing T-shirts expressing opposition to President Bola Tinubu could justify criminal prosecution.

The Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, however, distanced himself from the arrest of the five men in Maiduguri. Zulum said he neither ordered the arrest nor knew that the men had been detained. He maintained that he had never directed the arrest of opposition supporters or critics of his administration.

 Who is behind ‘Tinubu Must Stay’?

The national convener of the ‘Tinubu Must Stay’ movement, who is identified as Ibrahim Uba, an engineer, said the pro-Tinubu group would promote public engagement and discuss the record and policies of the Tinubu administration. 

 According to the movement, President Tinubu’s economic reforms, infrastructure investments, education financing initiatives and compressed natural gas programme justify continuity. It, however, acknowledges the hardship associated with subsidy removal and foreign-exchange reforms, but maintains that the policies should be judged by their longer-term results. 

On October 14, the movement announced the appointment of Marcel Ngogbehei as director-general of its alliance with the Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration. The appointment is a plus to the APC because Ngogbehei previously held leadership roles in the Peter Obi support network and the Coalition for Peter Obi. His involvement suggests an effort to attract political organisers beyond the traditional APC support base.

States where ‘Tinubu Must Go’ is popular

Lagos and Abuja featured among the cities where protesters chanted the slogan during the June 12 demonstrations. Kano became a significant centre of attention in October when the police blocked a planned meeting of the movement, prompting its organisers to protest the restriction.

In Borno, the arrest of five people wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan generated controversy over freedom of expression. Oyo also featured in the wider protest debate amid concerns about insecurity following the abduction of teachers and schoolchildren in the state. 

The campaign’s challenge is to convert visible demonstrations and online support into sustained organisation across Nigeria’s 36 states. Its popularity cannot be reliably measured from viral posts, isolated protests or the statements of prominent opposition politicians.

Based on recent reports, the “Tinubu Must Go” campaign has recorded activities in Kano, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Lagos, Osun, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory. However, available reports do not establish that any of these states is a definitive stronghold of the movement. 

 States with notable campaign activities

Kano has emerged as a prominent centre of the campaign. On October 11, 2026, the police reportedly blocked access to a venue where members of the movement planned to hold a meeting. The incident attracted criticism from the African Democratic Congress. 

In Kano, the two rival political groups are pushing contrasting narratives about the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration and his prospects for a second term.

While the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ campaign insists that the president has failed Nigerians, the ‘Tinubu Must Stay’ argues that his government deserves continuity to consolidate reforms.

Weekend Trust reports that the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ group has already begun physical mobilisation in Kano, which emerged as its prominent centre. Last weekend, the group attempted to hold an event, which was scuttled by security operatives.

Members of the group accused the authorities of violating their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly, while Amnesty International condemned the clampdown, saying it was unlawful. 

According to its conveners, the group is a non-partisan platform aimed at sensitising Nigerians and mobilising the opposition against Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

They argue that worsening economic hardship and governance failures justify their campaign slogan. The group says it is working on massive mobilisation across Kano and the country despite repeated police blockades. 

On the other hand, the ‘Tinubu Must Stay’ movement insists that the Tinubu administration has demonstrated commitment to infrastructure, education, health care and economic reforms.

The group has, however, not started physical activities in Kano State, but said they were working on massive mobilisation in the state and all over the country.

Speaking to Weekend Trust, the convener of the group, Uba, said the movement was formed to highlight achievements and counter narratives dismissing government’s performance. 

He said, “If the government is doing well, it is our responsibility as citizens to come out and say so,” citing the ongoing construction of the Jalingo–Mutum Biyu–Bali–Gembu road in Taraba State, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said had enabled thousands of students to access tertiary education, as well as the deployment of health workers across local government areas to strengthen primary health care. 

On the economy, Uba said small-scale businesses were receiving direct support through federal programmes, with grants ranging from N60,000 to N300,000. He added that Nigeria’s gross domestic product growth had risen to 4.43 per cent compared to 3.9 per cent before Tinubu’s tenure. 

Addressing insecurity, he acknowledged that the problem predates the current administration but maintained that Tinubu had expanded military infrastructure, supplied new equipment and introduced digital security innovations. “The government is making a great impact to ensure that insecurity is reduced drastically,” he said. 

Uba said the movement was not blind to Nigeria’s challenges, but believed continuity was essential for reforms to yield long-term benefits. He said the initiative would focus on fact-based advocacy, community dialogues and youth engagement to promote informed national debate. 

Weekend Trust reports that with both movements intensifying their campaigns, Kano has become a political battleground where opposing forces are shaping the debate over who wins the presidency in 2027. Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, became a focal point after five men were arrested and charged following the incident involving T-shirts bearing the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ slogan. Subsequent demonstrations and criticism from opposition figuresalso  brought national attention to the campaign. 

Faces remain unclear 

While the specific masterminds behind the growing “Tinubu Must Go” movement in Borno State remain largely obscured, the campaign is steadily drawing the backing of high-profile legal figures and opposition politicians in the region.

Prominent lawyers and activists in Borno, including Alkali Askira and Hamza Dantani, have stepped forward to offer pro bono legal services to youth protesters recently remanded in connection with the slogan.

The anti-government slogan first gained significant public traction on September 25, 2026 when the police arrested the five youths wearing T-shirts bearing the controversial inscription in Maiduguri. 

According to investigations, the apparel was worn by a youth group affiliated with the African Democratic Congress during an event held within the premises of the party’s state secretariat.

Speaking to our correspondent, the Borno State ADC chairman, Kolo Bukar, recalled that the party had secured proper approval from the police for a peaceful assembly. He claimed that trouble began after the gathering had safely dispersed.

According to Bukar, police officers arrested a party member who had voluntarily followed them to retrieve confiscated “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts. The remaining youths were subsequently detained, he said, simply for showing up at the police station to demand their colleague’s bail.

Bukar also rejected police claims regarding the circumstances of the arrest. “The individual the police claimed they had arrested and found with drugs and dangerous weapons was outside our secretariat and entirely unknown to us,” he said.

But the Borno State police command strongly refuted allegation that the youths were targeted for their political attire or participation in a peaceful assembly. In a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Nahum Kenneth, the police maintained that the five suspects were picked up around 6:00pm on September 25 by officers on a routine patrol near the West-end roundabout, insisting that they were arrested strictly on grounds of thuggery, inciting public disturbance and possession of illicit substances and dangerous weapons.

As legal battles loom with the intervention of lawyers like Askira and Dantani, the political climate in Borno remains tense as the authorities and opposition parties trade accusations over free expression and law enforcement

Anti-government protests over economic hardship and insecurity have also been reported in Kaduna; hence the state is among the locations where the campaign’s message has gained public visibility. The campaign has also attracted attention in Niger State, including reports of demonstrations and confrontations involving protesters and security authorities. 

Lagos was among the locations where protesters chanted “Tinubu Must Go” during the June 12, 2026 nationwide demonstrations.  Demonstrators reportedly expressed opposition to the Tinubu administration in Ikirun on October 5, 2026. 

Reports also recorded anti-government demonstrations or related protest activity in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states during early October.

The Federal Capital Territory has also featured prominently in the campaign, including during the June 12 demonstrations and subsequent protest activities. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar endorsed the movement in September 2026. 

‘Tinubu Must Stay’ support base, challenges

The ‘Tinubu Must Stay’ movement has a natural political constituency among APC members, government supporters and those who believe the administration’s economic reforms would eventually produce improvement in living standards. Its organisers are seeking to expand their reach through mobilisation and alliances. APC’s organisational presence and the activities of pro-Tinubu groups provide evidence of political mobilisation.

The ‘Tinubu Must Stay’ campaign faces a particular challenge in northern communities affected by insecurity, poverty and high living cost. In these areas, its supporters must explain how the administration’s policies are improving household incomes, access to education, agricultural productivity and security.

Meanwhile, “Tinubu Must Go” faces its own challenges in areas where the APC has strong political structures and among voters who believe the reforms need more time.

The “Tinubu Must Stay” campaign is active at the national level. The movement was formally presented in Abuja on October 1, 2026 by its national convener, Ibrahim Uba.

States where the campaign has recorded activities

In Nasarawa State, the North-Central region held a major rally in Lafia on October 10 to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 elections. The initiative covers the six North-Central states and the FCT.

In Ondo State, the APC national woman leader, Dr Mary Alile Idele, who also coordinates the Tinubu Torch Bearers, inaugurated the group’s state structure in Akure to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.

In Taraba State, the APC inaugurated the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement in Jalingo, with party leaders pledging to mobilise grassroots support for Tinubu and other APC candidates.

The Federal Capital Territory is the national coordination centre for the “Tinubu Must Stay” movement. Its leadership unveiled the campaign there, promising public engagement and advocacy based on the administration’s policies and performance.

The APC has also announced plans for nationwide mobilisation through its state chapters and affiliated support groups. 

The party’s governors have pledged to lead mobilisation efforts in their respective states. This indicates a broader national network of support for Tinubu, 

 What Nigerians, analysts think

In his reaction to both the pro and anti Tinubu campaigners, Professor Kenneth Nweke of Politics and Governance at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education,  Port Harcourt, said that for now, the “Tinubu Must Go” protest did not hold water; hence the protesters should rather push for support for an opposition candidate if they think the president is not doing well.

Nweke explained that the protest could disturb the fragile peace enjoyed in the country at the moment, urging the promoters of the protest to work towards getting the best candidates elected during the general elections.

He added that although the strategy of the protest could be to reduce the support base of the All Progressives Congress, it may not entirely determine how Nigerians want to vote.

He said: “I think that mobilisation should have been geared towards re-jigging formidable opposition; not just ordinary opposition but getting the best candidates, including the position of the president so that we can get the best persons – from the presidency down to the least – that Nigerians believe can give us good governance – instead of putting their energy on “Tinubu Must Go.” For me, the protest is neither here nor there.

“Off course the strategy is to reduce the number of the president’s support base come the 2027 elections, and generally, support base of the APC. For me, there’s no need disturbing the already fragile bad economy we are already in. 

“Yes, it may be the strategy to say ‘we are fade up with his policies and won’t want to vote him in again, but why not project the candidate you think would turn around the fortune of the country and campaign for him instead of carrying placards and saying that “Tinubu must go.” At the end of the day, you may have fracas between people joining issues and conflicts will arise. And that will further polarise the country and worsen the bad state we are already in.

 “For me, it has not been rosy for Nigerians since the inception of this government, and Nigerians are no longer patient with the economic reform policies the government thinks would turn around the fortune of the country.

“It is not about the APC but the people who have been saddled with leadership responsibilities in this country. Leadership recruitment has been a very big problem. And bad followership will beget bad leadership until there is a turnaround from the kind of political followership we have in this country.”

Implications for the polity

Samuel Yusuf, an activist, said the debate reflected competing interpretations of Nigeria’s economic direction.

“Supporters of the president point to reported economic growth, education financing and energy initiatives as reasons to maintain policy continuity. But critics counter that economic indicators, saying government’s announcements must translate into lower living costs, better security, jobs and improved living standards before they can persuade struggling households.

“The campaigns could deepen political participation by encouraging citizens to debate government’s performance and the direction of the country. They could also increase political tension if supporters interpret peaceful criticism as disloyalty or if authorities unnecessarily restrict lawful political expression.

“The Kano meeting controversy and the Maiduguri T-shirt arrests have already raised concerns about the boundaries of political expression. Government supporters and opponents should enjoy equal protection under the law, subject to legitimate and proportionate restrictions. Peaceful political slogans should not, by themselves, become grounds for intimidation,” he said.

He also said that ultimately, the contest would be shaped less by slogans but what Nigerians experience daily, such as security, food prices, employment, electricity, education and access to health care.

“Tinubu Must Go’ must explain what would replace the current administration’s policies, while ‘Tinubu Must Stay’ must demonstrate tangible improvements that justify continuity. For Nigeria’s democracy, the essential question is whether the competing campaigns can turn political mobilisation into a substantive debate about performance, accountability and the country’s future,” he said.

The movements show democracy in action – Political analyst

A Kano-based political analyst and national vice president of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Professor Murtala Muhammad,  described the emergence of both movements as a sign of Nigeria’s democratic maturity rather than a crisis.

He said: “This is not a democratic crisis, it is democracy in action. Opposing the government is not treason. Demanding a change of government or defending an incumbent administration is a legitimate expression of political choice. 

“It is good for citizens to say ‘We don’t want a certain government to continue, or ‘we want a certain leader to remain because of his policies.’ That is how democracy grows.”

Expressing concern over the recent crackdown on members of the “Tinubu Must Go” movement in Borno and Kano, Muhammad cautioned: “Suppressing opposition creates an appearance of stability while leaving grievances unresolved. Over time, alienation and loss of legitimacy can undermine national cohesion. History warns against closing democratic spaces.”

He emphasized that peaceful protests and lawful opposition must be allowed to thrive, adding that governments should protect civil liberties, while ensuring that opposition groups follow laid-down procedures.

“Tinubu Must Go and Tinubu Must Stay’ should be treated as competing political preferences provided their activities remain peaceful and lawful,” he said, adding that the existence of both movements is healthy for Nigeria’s democracy as they represent the diversity of political thoughts and the resilience of democratic institutions.

“Government’s responsibility is to protect the rights of all groups. Allowing peaceful opposition strengthens democracy rather than weakening it,” he added.

A public affairs analyst and lecturer at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Dr Aminu Makama, said the existence of economic grievances did not automatically guarantee the emergence of a powerful anti-Tinubu movement.

“Such a movement would require more than criticizing the president. It would need a convincing alternative programme, a credible coalition of political actors, effective grassroots organisation and a message capable of connecting national policies with the daily experiences of voters,” he said.

Makama said the 2027 elections would provide an opportunity for citizens to assess the federal government’s record, examine the alternatives presented by opposition parties and decide which candidates best represent their interests.

While the “Tinubu Must Go” group must explain what would replace the current administration’s policies, the “Tinubu Must Stay” campaign must demonstrate tangible improvements that justify continuity. For Nigeria’s democracy, the essential question is whether the competing campaigns can turn political mobilisation into a substantive debate about performance, accountability and the country’s future.

Additional reports from Bassey Willie (Port Harcourt), Hassan Ibrahim, (Bauchi), Sani Ibrahim Paki (Kano) & Hamisu Kabir Matazu (Maiduguri)