Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has expressed strong confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win the next general election by a wide margin, especially across Northern Nigeria.
Sani made this known during an interview on the Mic On Podcast, where he said political efforts are already underway in Kaduna State and other parts of the North to secure massive support for the president.
According to him, key political actors and supporters are working behind the scenes to ensure that Tinubu records one of the highest vote counts in the region during the next election cycle.
Northern Nigeria has always played a major role in determining the outcome of presidential elections due to its large voting population. Political analysts often describe the region as a deciding factor in national polls.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the National Assembly from 2015 to 2019, said the North is already positioning itself to back the president more strongly than it did in the last election.
“President Tinubu will win by a very wide margin, especially for those of us in Kaduna. We are working towards making sure that he has the highest votes in the Northern part of Nigeria,” he said during the interview.
His comments suggest a growing level of political mobilisation in the region, as supporters of the president begin early preparations ahead of the next general elections.
Looking back at the last presidential election, Sani admitted that the outcome in some parts of the North did not fully reflect the level of support expected for Tinubu.
He attributed this to several challenges that existed at the time, including political divisions and local issues that affected voter behaviour.
“It was a failure in the last election because of the issues that existed at that time,” he said.
The 2023 presidential election saw Tinubu emerge victorious, but the voting pattern showed mixed results across different parts of the country, including some areas in the North where opposition parties performed strongly.
Sani pointed to recent developments in Kaduna State as a reason for his optimism about Tinubu’s chances in the future.
He said the current administration in the state has taken steps to bridge long-standing divides between communities in Northern and Southern Kaduna, which have historically experienced tensions.
According to him, improved unity in the state could translate into stronger political support for the ruling party and the president.
“Now we have a governor who is able to unite the Northern and Southern parts of Kaduna,” Sani added.
Kaduna State is considered politically significant because of its diverse population and history of closely contested elections. The ability to secure widespread support across its regions is often seen as a sign of broader acceptance within the North.
President Tinubu, who took office in May 2023, has faced a mix of support and criticism over his policies, particularly economic reforms such as fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate adjustments.
While some Nigerians have praised these moves as necessary for long-term growth, others have raised concerns about rising living costs and economic hardship.
Despite these challenges, members of the ruling party remain confident that the president’s policies will yield positive results over time and strengthen his chances of re-election.
Sani’s comments reflect this confidence, especially among political figures in the North who believe that improved governance and stability could shift public opinion in Tinubu’s favour.
Although the next general election is still some time away, political activities and alignments are already beginning to take shape across the country.
Statements like Sani’s are seen as early indicators of campaign strategies and regional positioning by key stakeholders.
For Tinubu, securing overwhelming support in states like Kaduna could provide a strong foundation for a successful re-election bid.
As political discussions continue, attention will focus on how the federal government addresses key national issues, including security, the economy and infrastructure development.
For many voters, these factors will play a major role in shaping their decisions in the next election.
For now, Sani and other supporters remain optimistic that the president can consolidate his support base and achieve a decisive victory.
Whether this confidence will translate into actual votes remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the race for Nigeria’s next general election is already beginning to gather momentum.