Photo: President Tinubu
By Mandy Park
The ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement is speedily seeking expanding its influence in Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, citing economic hardship, insecurity and demands for greater accountability as major reasons for its campaign against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
One of the movement’s co-founders, Barrister Hamza Nuhu Dantani, said the campaign was driven by concerns over government policies and their effects on ordinary Nigerians, insisting that it was not motivated by personal animosity towards the President.
Dantani said rising petrol prices, the increasing cost of essential commodities and persistent insecurity had heightened public dissatisfaction and strengthened calls for better governance.
“We do not hate President Tinubu as a person. Our concern is with his administration, its policies, and their impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
He explained that the movement was demanding economic relief, improved security, accountability and policies that prioritised the welfare of citizens.
According to him, the campaign will remain peaceful and operate within the law while holding political leaders accountable for their actions and promises.
“The ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement must remain focused, peaceful, and committed to its mission of demanding better leadership and a better future for Nigeria,” Dantani stated.
He added that the movement would not hesitate to challenge any future administration that failed to meet its promises, regardless of the political party in power.
“Our loyalty is not to any individual or political party; it is to the Nigerian people and the future of our country,” he said.
Dantani described the movement as a platform for promoting accountability, good governance and meaningful political change, arguing that Nigerians deserved leaders who would address their economic and security concerns.
Meanwhile, a political analyst and National Vice-President of the Nigerian Political Science Association, Professor Murtala Muhammad, said the movement appeared to be attracting the interest of huge young people in Northern Nigeria.
Muhammad attributed the reported interest in the campaign to changing political attitudes and prevailing socio-economic conditions, including unemployment, poverty, insecurity and declining purchasing power.
“TMG appears to have gained considerable acceptance among a segment of the youth population in Northern Nigeria, reflecting evolving political consciousness, prevailing socio-economic realities, and growing demands for accountable governance,” he said.
However, the political analyst cautioned that public visibility and expressions of dissatisfaction did not necessarily translate into sustained political support or electoral strength.
He said the movement would need to establish a very strong organisational structure, expand its grassroots presence and demonstrate its ability to mobilise voters across different constituencies to make a significant impact in 2027.
Muhammad noted that the movement’s ability to build a broad support base would depend on its geographical reach, organisational capacity and success in connecting its campaign to the everyday concerns of Nigerians.
On whether the movement could help the opposition defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 elections, he said it could influence political realignments.
He explained that election outcomes depended on several factors, including public dissatisfaction, the availability of credible alternatives, effective mobilisation, candidate acceptability and cooperation among opposition parties.
“Electoral outcomes in Nigeria are shaped by the interplay of public dissatisfaction, credible alternatives, effective mobilisation, coalition-building, candidate credibility, and the capacity to translate political sentiment into votes,” Muhammad said.
He added that the movement could influence electoral calculations in closely contested constituencies if it succeeded in mobilising dissatisfied voters, attracting undecided citizens and encouraging strategic cooperation among opposition forces.
“If TMG can mobilise disillusioned voters, attract undecided constituencies, and facilitate strategic cooperation among opposition forces, it could significantly influence electoral calculations in competitive constituencies,” he said.
Muhammad, however, stressed that the movement would have to transform public discontent into sustained political mobilisation to achieve meaningful electoral gains.
He also cautioned against attributing any decline in Tinubu’s or the APC’s popularity in Northern Nigeria solely to the activities of the movement.
According to him, political attitudes across the region are influenced by several factors, including economic performance, insecurity, the cost of living, relations between the Federal Government and state governments, established political networks and the credibility of opposition parties.
He said the movement could provide an additional platform for Nigerians dissatisfied with the government to express their concerns, but its actual impact on the APC’s support base would require further evidence.
The analyst identified credible opinion polls, constituency-level assessments and systematic studies of voting intentions as necessary tools for determining the movement’s reach and potential electoral influence.
He said the critical question was whether the campaign could convert public dissatisfaction into a coordinated political force capable of influencing voting patterns in Northern Nigeria.
“The fundamental question is whether the movement can convert existing discontent into sustained political mobilisation capable of reshaping the North’s electoral landscape in 2027,” Muhammad said.
