The Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago, has claimed that power will return to the North after President Bola Tinubu’s second tenure.
He advised Northerners interested in being Nigeria’s president to wait until 2031.
The governor assured Tinubu of total loyalty and support in Niger State, stressing that there are no dissenting voices.
Speaking on TVC, the governor said, “When he (President) finishes his eight years, power will come to the North and northerners, who want to contest, can then contest.”
He insisted that the North and South must maintain the eight-year rotation policy.
“In Niger State, there is no dissenting voice. Nigeria is coexisting peacefully because we have decided to embrace a kind of rotation in governance; the North will do eight years, the South will do eight years.
“He (Tinubu) is just two years in office, and you are saying it should come back to the North. How? We had opportunities.
“So, we will continue to support the President,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bago has berated those questioning his decision to take loans.
He argued that it is not the public’s business even if he decides to sell the state to raise funds for development projects.
Residents have expressed worries over the state’s financial management, with debates circulating on social media about whether loans are being taken.
However, in a video obtained by SaharaReporters, the governor, who spoke in Hausa language, stated that people dissatisfied with his government should wait for eight years before questioning his worth.
He said,“If I were to sell Niger State to raise funds for the state projects, what is your business?
“People should wait till after my eight-year tenure in office to question my worth, as I will be leaving the state with zero debt after eight years. I will also show you that this is what I met on the ground and this is what I’m leaving the state with.”
He made the remark on August 11, 2025, during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting for his second-term endorsement with Tafa, Gurara, and Suleja local governments.
Bago also addressed concerns about borrowing, stating, “People are worried I’m collecting loans, but I haven’t started acquiring loans yet.
“This is just the beginning, and for the past administrations that collected loans, what did they do with them?
“Why are people taking medication for my headache?”
Bago defended his administration against criticisms over infrastructure, saying, “They said schools, hospitals, and roads have gone bad. Is it my administration’s responsibility for it, or aren’t we just repairing what we met?
“People are posting and saying that just two years of my tenure, I have damaged schools, hospitals, and roads. We will not castigate one another because we belong to the same party; we are not fools.”