Arise Television presenter, Rufai Oseni has said voters in Northern Nigeria are dissatisfied with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, warning that the outcome of the 2027 general election could surprise the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Oseni made the remarks on Monday while analysing political developments ahead of the 2027 elections on Arise Television’s Morning Show.
He argued that the support some politicians receive from residents of the North should not be mistaken for widespread approval of the Federal Government, noting that financial inducements and public displays of support might not translate into votes during elections.
Oseni maintained that many people in the region were unhappy with the Tinubu administration, adding that his assessment was based on his observations of public sentiment and political developments across the North.
Acknowledging that his position could attract criticism over the generalisation of public opinion, the broadcaster said his remarks reflected his assessment of the mood of the people rather than a claim based on a single empirical study.
He, however, referred to public sentiment analysis as one of the factors informing his assessment.
Oseni also questioned whether governors who recently joined the APC following the crisis and fragmentation within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would be fully committed to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, some of the governors might have joined the APC because of developments within their former political platform rather than a genuine preference for the ruling party.
Oseni said: “Do not deceive yourself, you see, politicians are the most delusional and the most optimistic people on earth.
“Because you are giving tonnes of people money in the north they are shouting your name, they are saying everything is well. Elections will shock you. Do not deceive yourself.
“The north is not happy with this administration.
“I know a lot of people will come back at me and say that’s a fallacy of hasty generalisation.
“But it’s an opinion gathering. It’s in feeling the pulse of the people in the north. It’s feeling the trajectory of what is happening in the north.
“Clearly, I know you’re going to ask me what’s the empirical data. Obviously, when you check a lot of public sentiment analysis, you see that obviously, to a large extent.
“Will the APC be able to trust the complete commitments of the governors that came to the fold of the APC because of the disintegration of the PDP? That’s another factor.
“You see, it’s a strange marriage arrangement. They just had to come to the APC, not because if they had a choice, if their own party was not disintegrated, or had not gone through the metamorphosis, do you think they’re going to come?
“So, are they going to be able to give their full commitment and just sweep everything off like that? It’s going to be interesting.”
