Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, representing Ondo South, has stated that President Bola Tinubu remains unbothered by recent criticisms from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi.
Amaechi recently urged Nigerians to be vigilant in defending their mandate during the 2027 election, warning that politicians, including Tinubu, would not easily relinquish power. Similarly, El-Rufai criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a “zero-man show,” and called on opposition parties to unite and form a coalition to challenge the ruling party and safeguard democracy. Atiku accused the Presidency of offering a N50 million bribe to opposition parties to weaken their structures ahead of the next election, although most political platforms denied the claim.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ibrahim dismissed the criticisms, asserting that Tinubu is undisturbed by such remarks.
“Is El-Rufai saying that Tinubu doesn’t have legitimacy now and in 2027? If the answer is no, what are you worrying yourself about?” Ibrahim questioned. “If Atiku says people give bribes, he needs to provide evidence. We deal with empirical evidence to do reaction. We don’t react by narratives.”
He further stressed that the legitimacy of governance is unaffected by opposition criticisms. “The key point is that the opposition will say whatever they want to say. But that does not take away the legitimacy of governance. I don’t think Tinubu is bothered by all the comments and sentiments that have been expressed,” he added.
Responding to El-Rufai’s critique, Ibrahim noted: “El-Rufai was in the National Assembly to be cleared as a minister and answered questions. At the end of the day, he didn’t get the ministerial appointment, probably because of some challenges or whatever happened. Another time, he claimed he had never applied to be a minister. If you don’t apply to be a minister, who forced you to come to the National Assembly? It’s not about whether he was treated fairly or not. It’s about the issue of security.”
Ibrahim suggested that most criticisms of the administration stem from aggrieved party members and candidates who lost in the 2023 elections. He dismissed concerns about defections from the APC, asserting that the party continues to attract members from opposition parties.
“Look, when I contested the governorship election in Ondo State and didn’t get the ticket, did I gather a storm and destroy the government?” he asked. Highlighting the growing membership of the APC, Ibrahim said, “This argument is one-sided. What about those from the PDP who have joined us? How many governors have crossed to APC, and how many of them are still planning to come? How many senators have left there?”
When asked about the possibility of more governors defecting to the APC, Ibrahim confirmed, “Of course. A sitting governor is planning to come to the APC. I don’t want to mention names so that I don’t embarrass people.”