Tinubu Deserves Second Term on Performance, Zoning Convention — APC Chieftain Bichi

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr. Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, has called on Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, arguing that his administration’s performance and Nigeria’s longstanding zoning convention justify continuity.

Bichi made the call while speaking at a strategic meeting of Renewed Hope Ambassadors Coordinators in Kano, where he urged APC supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation and educate Nigerians on the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration.

According to him, the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda provides a long-term development framework covering critical sectors, including the economy, infrastructure, healthcare, education, energy, security and public service delivery.

Bichi maintained that sustainable development requires policy consistency and continuity, arguing that countries that achieve significant transformation do so by sustaining strategic programmes across successive administrations.

He acknowledged that some of the government’s economic reforms have created temporary hardships for Nigerians but argued that the measures were necessary to reposition the country for long-term economic growth and prosperity.

The APC chieftain therefore urged party coordinators and supporters to strengthen their engagement with communities and explain the objectives and expected benefits of the administration’s policies, while addressing what he described as misinformation with facts.

Zoning and political stability
Bichi also made a strong case for maintaining the informal power-sharing arrangement between Nigeria’s North and South, warning that abandoning the convention could have serious political consequences.

He cited the electoral setbacks suffered by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 and 2023 as examples of what he described as the consequences of disregarding political expectations around zoning.

According to him, the PDP’s handling of its presidential ticket in those elections contributed to divisions within the party and affected its electoral fortunes.

“There is a wise saying: we learn from experience, but we must not learn only from our own experience. We must learn from the mistakes of others,” Bichi said.

He urged political and religious leaders to reflect on Nigeria’s political history, including the NADECO era and other periods of political crisis, to avoid decisions that could trigger renewed tensions.

Bichi argued that supporting Tinubu for a second term should be viewed not only from the perspective of the President’s performance but also as a means of preserving the rotational understanding between the North and South.

He described the informal arrangement as an important component of political inclusivity, fairness and stability in the country.

“Let us not be led into that situation again,” he cautioned, urging leaders from both regions to continue to respect what he described as the “gentlemen’s agreement” underpinning the rotation of political power.

The APC chieftain expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s vision and called on Nigerians to support the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying continuity would provide the administration with the opportunity to consolidate its policies and deliver greater prosperity.