Former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, on Sunday expressed fear that an upset awaits President Bola Tinubu at the next poll if he fails to learn from the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
Ndume gave the warning when he was featured as a guest on Sunday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.
In 2015, Jonathan ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party but was defeated by the All Progressives Congress candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, in the presidential election.
Buhari polled 15,424,921 votes to defeat the ex-president, who garnered 12,853,162 votes.
“Tinubu could be given the Jonathan treatment because Jonathan also had 22 governors who endorsed him like we did now. And what happened? Jonathan lost woefully,” Ndume said.
Ndume stated that history could repeat itself if Tinubu fails to address what he described as “crippling economic hardship” and a growing wave of public discontent.
According to the Borno South lawmaker, the mass endorsements and public support seen within the APC may offer a false sense of security that could unravel at the polls—just like Jonathan’s case.
“We are not learning our lesson.
“I pity Mr. President. Even though he once said this is not the time for campaigns, look around—the campaigning has already started under the guise of endorsements” he added.
The senator cautioned against complacency, particularly in light of recent reports that some APC leaders are pushing for automatic tickets for incumbent lawmakers.
He warned that such moves could alienate the party’s grassroots supporters and foot soldiers, without whom any electoral ambition would be doomed.
