Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno South, says President Bola Tinubu should be worried if former President Muhammadu Buhari is not on his side.
Ndume made this statement during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television program, aired on Friday night.
He explained that even though Buhari is no longer in office, his influence across northern Nigeria remains significant.
The senator’s comments came just hours after former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar led some opposition leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna.
Ndume mentioned that he also plans to visit the former president soon.
“Buhari’s followership has diminished naturally because it is different when you are not in power and after spending, like, eight years in power,” he said.
“Of course, his popularity, everything has diminished; it is natural, but you can’t write him off, especially with the northern masses.”
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Ndume described Buhari’s support base as unusually devoted: “The followership of Buhari has been occultic. You cannot explain it.”
“If Buhari is coming here now, you will see people rushing to see him. Everybody, including those in the vegetable market, will rush here. Buhari is still with the Talakawas.”
He emphasized the importance of Buhari’s support for President Tinubu: “Tinubu should be worried if Buhari is not on his side. Every number counts, and Buhari has one vote.”
“Tinubu should also be worried about my position. Because I have one vote for him. He does not have a vote for me.”
Recently, there have been rumors about the possible exit of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The CPC was one of four political parties that merged in 2013 to form the APC. Buhari belongs to the CPC bloc.
Amid these speculations, Buhari said he would never abandon the ruling party that provided him the platform to become Nigeria’s president.
