A prominent northern-based public affairs analyst, Malam Adamu Sambo, has warned that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stood little chance of securing re-election in 2027 unless he decisively addressed the country’s worsening insecurity and confronted alleged saboteurs within his administration.
Speaking during an interaction with journalists in Kaduna, Sambo said those misleading the President were more dangerous than his political opponents.
He accused several high-level appointees — including governors — of feeding the President with false information while siphoning public funds and damaging his reputation.
“President Tinubu cannot win the next election unless he ends the growing insecurity in the country,” Sambo declared. “Anyone telling him otherwise is deceiving him. These people around him — the cabal — are his real enemies, not his opponents in the next election.”
He argued that President Tinubu has a narrow window — not more than one year — to implement drastic reforms. After that, he said, the public would lose faith in his administration’s promises.
“He must act within this one year to wipe out bandits and restore national confidence. After that, no matter what he does, people won’t believe him,” Sambo warned.
He also alleged that some international actors, including agencies like USAID, may be indirectly linked to the protraction of terrorism in Nigeria, citing recent concerns raised by U.S. lawmakers over foreign funding of terror groups like Boko Haram.
Sambo, a development consultant and policy analyst, outlined key areas for urgent intervention, including security, agriculture, infrastructure, education, and digital threats.
He called for the mass recruitment of 100,000 police officers, a national cyber command force, and the unbundling of the Nigerian Railway Corporation to improve transportation.
The analyst also urged the president to seek counsel from experienced leaders such as Goodluck Jonathan and Ibrahim Babangida to navigate the turbulent political terrain ahead of 2027.
“Tinubu must refuel his administration and surround himself with honest people. If he fails to confront these internal saboteurs, he risks being a one-term president,” he said.