Abuja-based journalist and public affairs analyst
“Those who hold the knife and the yam in Nigerian politics are no longer in the North — they now sit quietly in the South, pulling strings while the North claps for crumbs.”
When Ayodele Fayose, former Governor of Ekiti State, boldly declared that President Tinubu would only need “a little from the North” to win re‑election in 2027, many brushed it off as typical Southern arrogance.
But to those who understand political codes, that statement was a thunderclap, a warning, and perhaps, the most honest summary of Nigeria’s emerging political reality: the North has lost its place as kingmaker and is fast becoming a political orphan.
The tragedy? Most Northern APC politicians are too intoxicated by office to realize they are no longer in power.
In Office but Not in Power: The Shame of the Northern Elite
From Vice President Kashim Shettima to many northern ministers, advisers, and lawmakers, what the nation sees today is a disturbing parade of political emasculation.
What has Shettima truly influenced since 2023?
Where are the projects for Borno, Yobe, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, and Bauchi?
What meaningful economic policy has been shaped by Northern input?
In truth, the Vice President does not have access to the levers of power. He is seen but not heard. He appears at functions, reads speeches, and returns home — a ceremonial figure reduced to praise‑singing.
Renowned British philosopher George Orwell once wrote:
“Power is not a means; it is an end.”
Today, it is clear that power has shifted away from the region that once determined the fate of Nigerian presidents. Our Northern political class has become a gallery of spectators clapping for a game they no longer play.
Ganduje and the Politics of Relevance
No example is more tragic than Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the immediate past APC National Chairman.
Since being forced to resign abruptly in June 2025 under intense pressure from President Tinubu’s camp, Ganduje has been relegated to a board chair position at FAAN, a clear demotion from his former status.
In effect, he was thrown under the bus, exchanged for internal political restructuring as the APC recalibrates for 2027.
Despite APC state-backed assurances that his resignation was voluntary and that there is “no personal or political rift” with the President, the circumstances — resignation ahead of deadline, replacement by acting chair from North-Central, sidelining of his loyal aides — tell a different story. His ex‑adviser even defected, citing marginalisation within the party.
Ganduje’s quick transition to a ceremonial board role underscores that he’s been stripped of real influence — a reminder to all Northern heavyweights: titles without power are worthless.
Fayose Spoke the Truth — But Let’s Not Miss the Bigger Picture
Ayodele Fayose may not be from the North, but he spoke what many of our self‑styled elders dare not: “Tinubu has taken over the South. He needs only a little from the North to win in 2027.”
This is not just a political opinion — it is a strategy unfolding in real time:
Appointments are skewed towards the South and Middle Belt
Major contract awards and federal project control are Southern-controlled
Empowerment programs and ministerial slots favour non-Northern blocs
However, it would be dangerous and unfair to reduce this political marginalization into a religious narrative. The real issue is regional manipulation, not faith.
In fact, some of the most courageous voices from the North today are Christians — men like Babachir Lawal, who boldly exposed ethnic deception in the same APC he helped build; Senator Abbo, who stood his ground in defence of justice; and former Senate President David Mark, who consistently projected unity over division.
These are examples that show the North is not divided by religion, but united in its victimhood — and, hopefully, in its response.
A Wake-Up Call for the North — United or Doomed
As we approach 2027, Northern politicians must open their eyes. The subtle promotion of Northern Christian blocs over the Muslim majority is a dangerous trick, not to empower Christians, but to divide the North.
It is a ploy to fracture the region’s vote, silence its influence, and disorient its leadership. Once divided, the North becomes a pawn, not a player.
Both Muslims and Christians in the North must resist this. We must not allow external forces to plant seeds of distrust among us. Let us remember the wise words of Mallam Aminu Kano:
> “Nigeria kasa daya ce, amma kowa yasan gidan ubansa.”
(Nigeria is one country, but everyone knows his father’s compound.)
Let the North, regardless of religion or ethnicity, understand its position, its history, and its collective strength. The time for unity is now — because a divided North is a conquered North.
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Corridors of Power