KANO — Sule Lamido, the former Governor of Jigawa State and a top chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has sent shockwaves through the political landscape by warning that President Bola Tinubu will be “difficult to remove” due to his ruthless ability to manipulate the system.
Speaking on the hurdles facing the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections, Lamido did not mince words about the President’s tactics. “Tinubu will be difficult to remove as a President. Because I know his capacity,” Lamido stated. “I meant his capacity to do the wrong things. His capacity to manipulate anything to get what he wants.” Despite this grim assessment, the former governor insisted that the ultimate power still rests with the people, adding, “But still, Nigerians can decide to vote him out.”
A Pattern of Power Grabs and Institutional Capture
Lamido’s explosive comments tap into a growing hysteria among the Nigerian masses, who fear that the country is rapidly sliding into a one-party dictatorship. Critics argue that the President is systematically dismantling the opposition by capturing key institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary.
The former governor pointed to Tinubu’s history of “crushing” political rivals, from his days in the Alliance for Democracy to his current grip on the APC. Lamido suggested that the President operates like an “emperor,” using state resources and strategic appointments—such as placing Nyesom Wike in the FCT—to stifle dissent and secure regional control through “transactional politics.”
Mass Condemnation of the “Emperor” Mentality
The Nigerian public has reacted to Lamido’s warning with a mixture of fear and defiance. On social media and in the streets, the condemnation of the Tinubu administration has reached a fever pitch. Many Nigerians feel “choked” by a government they describe as being more focused on a 2027 “coronation” than on solving the biting economic hardship and rampant insecurity claiming lives in Plateau, Nasarawa, and Kaduna.
“We are seeing exactly what Lamido is talking about,” one activist noted. “From the embarrassment of the ‘fake’ visit to Jos to the harassment of journalists like Seun Okinbaloye and the attacks on Peter Obi’s character by aides like Daniel Bwala, the agenda is clear: silence everyone and stay in power at all costs.”
Eagerness for International Oversight
In light of Lamido’s warning about Tinubu’s “capacity to manipulate,” a massive wave of support has emerged for the involvement of U.S.-based policy firms to brief the Trump administration and Congress. Nigerians are openly expressing happiness and hope that international pressure will “reengineering” the electoral system.
The consensus among the masses is that local institutions have been compromised, leaving external scrutiny as the only way to ensure a fair and transparent 2027 presidential election. As Lamido’s words resonate across the country, the cry for a “New Nigeria”—protected from state-sponsored manipulation—has never been more urgent.
