By Honourable Comrade Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje
I will never stop speaking this bitter truth: Bola Ahmed Tinubu is human and, like every other leader, he can make mistakes. However, in Nigeria’s history, few leaders have prepared themselves to confront the country’s challenges with the level of determination, strategy, and political experience that he has demonstrated. Instead of acknowledging his global exposure, political achievements, and long-term contributions to nation-building, many critics focus only on his shortcomings while ignoring the larger picture of his accomplishments.
The opposition will eventually have no choice but to accept the reality of Tinubu’s political dominance and allow him to continue his leadership journey until 2031.
Tell me, among the supporters of Atiku Abubakar, who is not gradually becoming a political liability to him? Likewise, among the followers of Peter Obi, who can confidently point to any enduring political structure or meaningful political investment he has personally built to strengthen his long-term influence?
Someone like Dele Momodu struggled for years to gain full acceptance within Tinubu’s political circle, but there were already many trusted and tested loyalists ahead of him. In his quest for relevance, he moved from one political camp to another, following Atiku everywhere. The same applies to certain entertainers and public figures who could not maintain lasting relevance within their professions and eventually turned to politics for survival and visibility.
President Tinubu has achieved for himself what no charm, propaganda, or political manipulation could ever achieve. He spent decades intentionally building political human resources across Nigeria.
Fortunately for him—and unfortunately for his opponents—it is impossible for all the political figures he helped build across the country to suddenly turn against him. Even someone like Rauf Aregbesola cannot erase the fact that thousands of politicians are still struggling to occupy the strategic position he once held within Tinubu’s political structure.
Yes, Tinubu may have some ungrateful political children, but more than ninety percent of them are quietly seeking reconciliation and forgiveness because they fully understand the value of the political platform that made them relevant.
In a truly democratic society, a political figure with Tinubu’s level of influence, sacrifice, and years of investment in democratic struggles would naturally be allowed to complete his constitutional mandate without unnecessary political distractions.
The only way Tinubu’s political structure can be weakened is if every loyalist suddenly becomes unstable and disloyal like Aregbesola. But that is impossible because Tinubu’s strength was never built on emotions, temporary alliances, or social media popularity.
Tinubu is not using charms. He is benefiting from decades of carefully developed human resources—individuals who have now become nationally respected politicians and influential leaders across Nigeria.
Show me one truly sincere and committed loyalist behind Atiku or Peter Obi who can be compared to people like James Faleke, Femi Gbajabiamila, Nuhu Ribadu, Bello Matawalle, or Muri Okunola within Tinubu’s camp. Most people surrounding the opposition today are individuals who merely benefited financially from them in the past and are still looking for opportunities to continue benefiting.
Atiku and Obi are serving completely different political interests and ambitions. Their supporters can hardly unite under one direction because personal ambition continues to overshadow collective political purpose.
It has become difficult for figures like Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, or Rotimi Amaechi to build enduring political institutions beyond their immediate circles. They lack the strong grassroots structures necessary to sustain a dominant national political movement, which is why they constantly seek existing platforms to hijack rather than building lasting systems organically.
Among those following them today, who is genuinely prepared to sacrifice everything for them the same way loyalists like James Faleke, Femi Gbajabiamila, and many others across the six geopolitical zones continue to stand firmly behind Tinubu?
Across the North, South, East, and West, Tinubu has built political sons and daughters who now occupy strategic positions throughout Nigeria. Even the late Muhammadu Buhari benefited immensely from the political structure and alliances Tinubu helped establish within the APC from 2015 until today.
For anyone to emerge suddenly and attempt to destroy such a structure, that person would first need to dismantle thousands of successful political relationships and human investments built over several decades. Unfortunately for the opposition, many of these loyalists may not be loud on social media, but they remain highly influential and effective politically.
Tinubu possesses more respected and committed loyalists across Nigeria than many people realize. Most of them are simply waiting for the right political season to fully mobilize for his reelection.
Unlike Peter Obi, whose 2023 momentum relied heavily on emotional appeals and public sentiment, the reality today is that such a political wave cannot easily be repeated in the same manner.
Today, Atiku’s political machinery is no longer as financially powerful or influential as it once was. The resources that previously sustained aggressive opposition politics are no longer flowing as before.
My advice to the opposition is simple: if they continue focusing all their energy on removing Tinubu in 2027, they may eventually exhaust themselves politically and financially without achieving any meaningful result.
Tinubu’s 2027 reelection project is already a done deal.
The opposition should instead begin preparing seriously for 2031.