Tambuwal not wired to be a national leader, remains an ethnic chauvinist, champion — Bayo Onanuga ex-NAN MD

Sokoto Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is a hegemonist and a betrayal of a national cause, unworthy of being Nigeria’s president, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s media campaign organization has said.

According to the Head of the organization, Mr Bayo Onanuga, a former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Tambuwal has caught the image of an ethnic chauvinist and champion.

Recalling the role played by the governor at the recent PDP Presidential primary in Abuja, Onanuga said: “Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was praised by PDP chairman as the hero of the party’s convention for swinging votes to Atiku Abubakar at the convention, making it possible for Abubakar to win.

“I do not think Ayu got it right. In my view, Tambuwal has destroyed his future chances of being a Nigerian leader or a future president, for what he proved at the convention was that he is a hegemonist.’’

“His action prevented his longtime friend and supporter in the 2019 primary, Nyesom Wike, from winning,’’ the veteran journalist said in a statement given to Persecondnews on Thursday.

Pointing out that although Wike was full of blames for his fellow southern governors for his debacle, Onanuga insisted that “Tambuwal was the real culprit.’’

“His action showed that he only wanted power to remain up north, despite the campaign of power shift southwards in 2023.

“Tambuwal will in the future find it hard to defend his action, having been a beneficiary of a Pan-Nigerian support for his speakership in 2011, at the time the position was zoned to the South West.’’

Also recalling Tambuwal’s antecedents, the former Managing Director of Tempo and The News magazine, said:“In 2015, he reduced himself to a hegemonist, when he backed Yakubu Dogara for speakership against Gbajabiamila who had supported him in 2011.

“In 2022, he has revealed himself again as a tribal jingoist, a political hegemonist.

“With this latest action, he should just say goodbye to any national aspiration in the future. The best he can hope for is to remain an ethnic champion.’’