Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has argued that the increasing support for President Bola Tinubu among some opposition governors is motivated by political survival rather than ideological alignment.
Sani said the political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections are already influencing the decisions and relationships of opposition leaders across the country.
He identified Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo and Abia State Governor Alex Otti as opposition governors who have adjusted their positions towards Tinubu after assessing their political options.
Sani made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu.
According to the former senator, the governors believe that associating with Tinubu offers them greater political security because there is “no credible and viable alternative” within the opposition.
“If you are a politician, you look at both sides of what will be better for your present and also for your future. And strategically, what will also be easier for your people.
“These opposition governors, like Otti of Labour, Soludo of APGA, and Adeleke of Accord, they have weighed the two options, and they have seen that they are safer and better identifying with Asiwaju,” he stated.
Sani explained that Soludo would face political challenges if he chose to align with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, arguing that Atiku lacks a strong political base in Anambra. He also said a close alignment with Peter Obi could limit Soludo’s political reach to the South-East.
“Peter Obi is also not a member of his own party. But he looks at the wider acceptability in terms of the whole country,” he said.
Speaking about Otti, Sani noted that although many Abia residents supported Obi during the 2023 presidential election, he argued that Obi’s political influence remains strongest in the South-East.
“What is the ranking of Peter in North-West, North-Central, North-East, South-South, and South-Western part of Nigeria? So, he is taking Abia to the mainstream,” Sani stated.
The former senator said Adeleke’s situation was similar, noting that while the Osun governor secured more than 511,000 votes on the Accord platform, presidential voting patterns in the state could produce a different outcome.
“He has won his election, and Tinubu has stopped any form of interference to tamper with that,” Sani said, referring to the President’s intervention following the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s freezing of Osun State’s account.
Sani described the relationship between Tinubu and the opposition governors as largely transactional, arguing that both sides stand to benefit politically.
“Adeleke needs Tinubu. Tinubu needs Adeleke,” he declared.
He further maintained that politicians must prioritise protecting their current political positions before making longer-term calculations.
“You must secure your seat first. You must secure your state first before you think of the next thing to do,” he said.
