2027: Buhari’s Government Humiliated Tinubu, Akande Tells Atiku to Sacrifice

Former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has recounted how President Bola Tinubu was allegedly marginalised and humiliated during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, urging former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to sacrifice his presidential ambition to unite opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general election.

Akande said Tinubu endured political setbacks within the All Progressives Congress despite playing a key role in Buhari’s emergence as president in 2015. He noted that Tinubu remained in the party, patiently built his political base and eventually succeeded Buhari in 2023.

Speaking on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, the former presidential aide said he personally witnessed instances in which Tinubu was sidelined during Buhari’s eight-year administration.

“What did they not do against Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Tell me, what did they not do? Even between 2015 and 2023, the man was marginalised. I saw him with my korokoro eyes,” Akande said.

“I sat in meetings where they put Bola Ahmed Tinubu behind me,” he added.

According to Akande, Tinubu refused to abandon the APC despite the alleged mistreatment, choosing instead to remain patient and work towards achieving his presidential ambition.

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“He just waited. He bided his time,” he said.

Akande also cited the controversy surrounding the naira redesign policy introduced shortly before the 2023 presidential election, arguing that Tinubu responded to the political challenges by intensifying his mobilisation efforts rather than giving up.

He dismissed suggestions that the ruling APC was solely responsible for the divisions within the opposition, maintaining that opposition parties must develop the resilience to withstand political pressure from those in power.

“I’m not saying it’s right, but this is how they have done it. So, if you are serious as opposition, you must be able to withstand it and rise to the top by doing what has become common sense,” he said.

The former presidential aide attributed the opposition’s difficulties partly to personal ambition and ego, arguing that Atiku should take the initiative to unite opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 polls.

“But to the point, I think it is ego. So, the person that ought to make the move here is Atiku,” Akande said.

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He urged the former vice president to prioritise the collective interest of the opposition over his personal ambition, suggesting that Atiku should be willing to step aside if doing so would improve the chances of defeating Tinubu at the polls.

“Atiku is one that was supposed to say, ‘You know what? We are going to make sure that we get this guy out, and I’m going to sacrifice,’” he said.

Akande argued that such a decision could help opposition leaders overcome their differences and form a united political front capable of challenging the APC in 2027.

He further recalled that some ministerial nominees reportedly associated with Tinubu were rejected during Buhari’s administration, despite Tinubu’s contributions to the party’s electoral success in 2015.

“Alake was nominated; Edun was nominated. They went to choose the ones that he did not nominate to just make a point that you can’t dictate for us,” he said, referring to the current ministers, Dele Alake and Wale Edun.

Akande said Tinubu did not quit the APC despite the alleged rejection of his preferred nominees, describing his decision to remain in the party and wait for another opportunity as an example of political sacrifice.

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He maintained that opposition leaders could learn from Tinubu’s political journey by placing their collective objectives above individual ambitions as they prepare for the 2027 general election.