A former top Nigerian official has delivered a stark, almost theatrical warning to the nation: refusing President Bola Tinubu a second term is a recipe for political disaster. Sheikh Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, the immediate past chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), made the declaration during a meeting with youth groups at his residence in Kano, arguing that the president must be allowed to serve two full terms to preserve the country’s delicate North-South power rotation.
Pakistan’s logic is simple: fairness. He pointed to how Tinubu, despite his own ambitions, supported former President Muhammadu Buhari through two terms—even when Buhari was ill—and insisted he complete eight years. To now block Tinubu from his own second term, Pakistan warned, would be a dangerous double standard that could “fling the country into a political crisis”. He cautioned that rejecting leaders based on their region of origin is a perilous game, one that could haunt Nigeria’s future stability.
The former NAHCON chief did not stop at politics. He launched a spirited defense of the Tinubu administration’s record, particularly on security and the economy. According to Pakistan, the president inherited two major crises—Boko Haram and the banditry that he claims started under Buhari—yet has made tangible progress. He cited the Abuja-Kaduna highway as a key example, noting that the route was once “suicidal” but is now safe enough for midnight travel. He also touted a dramatic drop in food prices, claiming a bag of rice that sold for ₦120,000 under Buhari now costs ₦57,500, while millet has fallen from ₦85,000 to ₦30,000.
Pakistan’s remarks come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, adding fuel to an already heated debate over Tinubu’s re-election prospects. His warning serves as both a defense of the president and a blunt threat to the political class: rock the boat of power rotation, and the consequences could be catastrophic for the entire nation.