Bola Tinubu, Oluremi Tinubu
The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, has delivered a pointed public rebuke to the Director-General of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential campaign council and accompanying officials, cautioning them against making unfulfilled promises, spreading falsehoods and prioritising political interests over the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.
The traditional ruler spoke when Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, a former Zamfara State governor and DG of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, paid a courtesy visit to his palace in Katsina. The delegation was led by Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda and included other senior officials and political figures.
In remarks captured in a widely circulated Hausa-language video of the meeting, the Emir stressed that traditional institutions have a duty to speak truth to power. “We are the fathers of the country, and we must tell you the truth. We have to speak up, and the truth must be told to whoever needs to hear it,” he said.
Addressing Yari directly, he warned against empty campaign pledges. “Director-General, you are on board now. Is it right to make promises that you know you will not fulfil? Allah will question you over such actions,” the Emir stated. He urged the campaign team and political leaders to promote issue-based campaigns, respect opposing views and focus on practical solutions rather than hostility, character assassination or witch-hunting.
“Politics is not madness. Whoever you are, if you humiliate another person, you may eventually experience what you would not wish for yourself,” he added. “What is politics? You convince me to accept your conviction. You must be wise enough to listen to what I have to say or consider my point of view. That is politics. It is not fighting or condemning others.”
The Emir highlighted the deepening economic hardship and insecurity affecting northern Nigeria. He noted that farmers in parts of the region can no longer freely access their farmlands, threatening livelihoods and food production. “Why are we drifting apart? Farmers have been prevented from carrying out their activities,” he said, calling for concrete steps to restore security and protect rural communities.
He also lamented the collapse of once-vibrant industries in the North, citing examples in Kaduna such as the Defence Industries Corporation (DIC) and the Peugeot assembly plant. “If you go to Kaduna, look at the DIC and the Peugeot company. Where are they now? They have all collapsed. Why? We have to speak. We have to speak. We must stand up and take action,” the Emir said.
Social media users sharing the video interpreted the Emir’s remarks as a sharp critique of politicians who only visit traditional rulers during election cycles. One post accompanying the footage noted that the Emir frankly told the visitors his palace “is not a polling centre” and that they appear only every four years, while highlighting widespread hunger and internal divisions among northern political figures.
Governor Radda, who presented the delegation, reaffirmed Katsina State’s commitment to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and expressed confidence in continued support for President Tinubu. Yari told the Emir the visit was to pay homage to the traditional institution and seek the support of the Emir and the people of Katsina for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said sustained consultations would help communicate the administration’s programmes and strengthen political support.
The Emir welcomed the visitors and appreciated their recognition of the traditional institution, while emphasising the need for leaders to prioritise citizens’ welfare, promote peaceful coexistence and sustain development efforts. He called for greater cooperation between government and traditional rulers in addressing community challenges.
The remarks come as the APC intensifies early mobilisation for the 2027 presidential election. Katsina, a key northern state, has historically been an APC stronghold, though Tinubu narrowly lost the state to Atiku Abubakar in 2023. Videos and reports of the palace encounter have circulated widely, drawing both praise for the Emir’s candour and discussion about the challenges of insecurity, economic hardship and political culture in the North.
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