The Adamawa State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Leader Leneke, has advised President Bola Tinubu not to rely solely on Northern political elites and elders for support ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Leneke warned that the interests of influential Northern politicians may not necessarily reflect those of the wider population, urging the President to establish a direct channel of communication with Nigerians, particularly those in the North.
Speaking on Tuesday during an appearance on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, the commissioner called on Tinubu to take his achievements directly to the people rather than depending on political intermediaries.
“My warning would be, Mr. President, don’t trust these Northern elites and elders. Speak directly to the people. Show the people your scorecard. Show the people in the North what you have done,” he said.
Leneke maintained that the Tinubu administration had recorded notable achievements, particularly in the areas of security and infrastructure, but argued that many of these accomplishments had not received adequate public attention.
“To be very honest with you, I think there is more this administration has done and achieved that has not been said. There is so much that can be sung, the success story of this administration in the last three years, that can be said but has not been said,” he stated.
He urged the President to develop a structured communication strategy that would enable Nigerians, especially people in the North, to properly understand and assess the policies and achievements of his administration.
According to him, effectively communicating the administration’s record should form a key part of Tinubu’s political strategy as the country approaches the 2027 elections.
“Mr. President, you have to have an institutionalised process of how Nigerians, especially the North, need to know, need to be informed, need to be made aware of the achievements that have been carried out under your administration going forward. I think this will be your strategy going into 2027,” Leneke said.
The commissioner further cautioned that excessive dependence on Northern elites could undermine Tinubu’s political prospects, alleging that some influential figures had failed to adequately represent the interests of their people.
He also claimed that some of the elites were unwilling to openly campaign for the President despite their influence and access to resources.
“If Mr. President depends on the Northern elite, let me tell you the truth, they have not done well for their people and they are very afraid to go out in the open. They will not go out in the open to campaign for President Tinubu,” he said.
Leneke also raised concerns about the effectiveness of relying on such political intermediaries to mobilise grassroots support, alleging that resources provided for political mobilisation might not always reach those expected to carry out the campaign.
“If you trust them with massive resources, I think they will go out to campaign. They will only sit in the comfort of their mansions and talk to a few people they trust who will be able to go out and campaign for the president. And then they will give them little of what was given to them,” he alleged.
The commissioner’s comments underscore the need, in his view, for the Tinubu administration to strengthen its direct engagement with citizens and communicate its achievements without relying excessively on established political power brokers ahead of 2027.
