The strong relationship between Tinubu and the Northern region
The strong relationship between Tinubu and the Northern region
On Saturday at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, the governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum spoke about the issues in brief but also important. He introduced the presidential candidate of the APC party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu to His Excellency. Zulum said that Tinubu was in the city of Maiduguri especially for Borno State and its people during the most difficult times in its history of 1,200 years. While it seems that most of the people have left the city of Maiduguri to save their lives from the terror of Boko Haram, Asiwaju has been in the state more than once.
"During our difficult times, Asiwaju was with us all the time. He visited us about seven to eight times in the last seven years. No other person has done this to us". Governor Zulum said.
Governor Zulum's speech revealed the good relationship that Asiwaju has built with Northern Nigeria and its people over the years. The connection is not today's, it is a long-standing relationship that has led to friendship and sympathy for each other, including living together. Surprisingly, Tinubu has been accepted even by the people of Niger. This was evident when his campaign ship received the great Northern States; Kaduna (headquarters of Arewa), Kano (business center) up to the Fulani and Kanuri states (Sokoto and Borno).
The sign that someone showed in the pictures of the people who came out to meet him, Twitter users claimed, "Northerners should not worry about this issue of Tinubu". It is the same in a country where our politics encourages our differences to be surprising. But it is the path of the North to praise and honor the years of relationship and struggle for coexistence".
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For this reason, forget the efforts of the candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and his plans to impose religion, ethnicity, and region that many people refuse to follow his selfish path. The question that people are asking is what the owner of this candidate did to the people of the North to reap the election day? People are smart, they know who is with them at all times and who will come to them and claim it as theirs.
The history of Tinubu's relationship with the North is a long one. I'll try to think of something else. Tinubu's political journey began in the North. In the third republic, Tinubu teamed up with the late Shehu Musa Āar'Adu'a. He chose to work with it.
The history of Asiwaju's relationship with the North is a long one. I will try to imitate something from it. Since the beginning, Tinubu's political history started from the North. At the beginning of the third republic, Tinubu paid allegiance to the late Shehu Musa Y'aradu'a. He chose to work with him even though at that time his blood brother Lateef Jakande was competing. When MKO Abiola became the presidential candidate of the SDP party, Tinubu played a major role in appointing Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as his running mate.
In recent times, Tinubu has become like Kendir who burns himself to light up others. He supported the aspirations of the Northerners in their candidacy for the presidency. For example, he supported Atiku in 2007, Nuhu Ribado in 2011, and President Buhari in 2015 and 2019. All this is in addition to the many people he helped in the North to get successful as well as holding various unexpected positions.
Even Atiku and his campaign leader, the governor of Sokoto State, Tambuwa, are among those who benefited from Tinubu's political influence when he succeeded in becoming the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives in 2011.
Apart from the political issue, Tinubu has always been comfortable with the North. He does more than what he says he will do. As a Nigerian who lives in Nigeria, he is always aware of what is happening across the country. He extended his hand and took help wherever it was needed.
He visited the areas of Birnin Gwari to Zamfara to bring reconciliation with the bandits as well as to unite the community and encourage them. No one has done this, not even the one who claims to be yours.
Since the election weeks, the opposition has been spreading lies and propaganda to discredit Tinubu. The man who put an end to the OPC riots and brought honor to the Northerners in Lagos, is being accused of the opposite.
The man who went to the Arewa House in Kaduna State in October presented his policy speeches in front of the elders of the North, most of whom are followers of Atiku, and they are the ones who are spreading the lie that he did not provide anything for the North. They are spreading this lie.
Northerners living in Lagos have explained how Tinubu and his plans have given them the opportunity to get houses and a better life. Today in Lagos State there is a person from Katsina State who holds the position of Commissioner. This tradition started in the Tinubu era, and there are many northerners who have been elected to various positions. There are also millions of northerners who have benefited from the free education program that the Tinubu government has created without discrimination.
Since the beginning, they have been spreading the propaganda that Tinubu is sick and cannot stand in the campaign. All this is the end, and now the people of Nigeria will choose the candidate they trust who has the brain and the thought of development and has been seen.
Asiwaju's supporters will come out this Saturday, they have done away with ethnic and regional differences, they have chosen a path of survival that is full of truth and justice in which they will see good results.
As a colonial officer, Mr. Brian Sharwood Smith wrote information on the relationship between Britain and Northern Nigeria on the colonial rule of Nigeria, Tinubu came from Lagos and spoke neither Hausa nor Filipino but he was always loyal North. Honest and trustworthy people, the Northerners are ready to confirm Tinubu's friendship and love for them.
Abdulaziz Abdulaziz
Special assistant to Tinubu on communications and public relations.