Senator representing Borno south, Ali Ndume, has said President Bola Tinubu should be worried if his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari is not on his side.
Ndume spoke during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, aired on Friday night.
He said despite Buhari no longer being in office, his influence in northern Nigeria remains strong.
The senator’s comment comes hours after former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar led some opposition leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna.
Ndume added that he is also planning a visit to the former president.
“Buhari’s followership has diminished naturally because it is different when you are not in power and after spending, like, eight years in power,” he said.
“Of course, his popularity, everything has diminished; it is natural, but you can’t write him off, especially with the northern masses.
“The followership of Buhari has been occultic. You cannot explain it.
“If Buhari is coming here now, you will see people rushing to see him. Everybody, including those in the vegetable market, will rush here. Buhari is still with the Talakawas.
“Tinubu should be worried if Buhari is not on his side. Every number counts, and Buhari has one vote.
“Tinubu should also be worried about my position. Because I have one vote for him. He does not have a vote for me.”
Recently, there have been concerns over the potential exit of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc from the All Progressive Congress (APC).
In 2013, the CPC was one of the four political parties that came together to form the APC. Buhari belongs to the CPC bloc.
In the middle of the speculations, Buhari said he would never turn his back on the ruling party that gave him the platform to become the country’s president.
While President Tinubu has not officially declared to run for second term in office, however, political heavyweights are already forming alliances that might be a stumbling block to his returning to office should he declare interest to run.
