A notable elder from the North and a public commentator, Alhaji Dabo Sambo, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu that if he does not promptly address the issues of insecurity and banditry, especially in northern Nigeria, his prospects for winning the 2027 presidential election will be diminished.
In a briefing with journalists on Thursday, Sambo emphasised that insecurity is the most significant threat facing the nation, with lives and property continually at risk.
He remarked that ensuring safety and stability is the fundamental responsibility of any government, and failing to achieve this could jeopardise the President’s chances for re-election.
Sambo pointed out that food scarcity is a pressing issue in Nigeria, leading to widespread hunger, and he attributed the escalating food crisis to the insecurity prevalent in the North-East and North-West regions, which contribute over 60% of the nation’s agricultural production.
According to Daily Trust, Sambo indicated that farmers are abandoning their lands due to banditry, kidnapping, and terrorist activities, resulting in a substantial decline in food production and an increase in prices.
Additionally, he highlighted the economic ramifications of insecurity, which include a weakened naira, elevated transportation costs, and rising inflation that are depleting the savings of average Nigerians.
Sambo made a direct appeal to President Tinubu, urging him to address the insecurity crisis within the next six months and to revitalise local agriculture within a year.
“If President Tinubu refuses to wipe out the security challenges, he will definitely not win the 2027 election,” He warned, drawing parallels with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat in 2015, which he also attributed to unchecked insecurity.
“The era of carton noodles and salt distribution during campaigns is over,” he said. “People want security and food. Without these, they will not vote,” Sambo noted.
Sambo dismissed Tinubu’s political opponents as lacking viable strategies to transform Nigeria.
However, he emphasised that if the president fails to tackle the underlying issues of insecurity and economic distress, even the most sophisticated rigging mechanisms will not secure his re-election.
He further stated that President Tinubu must confront the true adversaries within his inner circle, asserting that the apparent competitors are not the real issue; rather, it is the inability to take decisive action on security and food production that could jeopardise his presidency.
Additionally, he referenced recent disclosures from the U.S. Congress that implicate the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in allegedly financing Boko Haram, a claim also supported by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa. Sambo urged the Nigerian government to cease its pretence and directly address these international influences.