Ndume Rejects Tinubu’s 2027 Endorsement, Cites Jonathan’s 2015 Defeat as Warning

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has firmly distanced himself from the recent wave of endorsements for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid, declaring that he is not among those supporting the president’s re-election ambitions at this time.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, Ndume made it clear that while he remains a loyal member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he does not support the manner in which President Tinubu was endorsed by 22 APC governors last month.

Ndume revealed that he had walked out of the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja when the governors publicly threw their weight behind Tinubu during what was billed as a summit.

“I was there, but that was not the reason I attended. I came for what was supposed to be a summit. When it turned into an endorsement event and a voice vote was called, I simply left. That does not mean I am not APC; it just means I didn’t agree with the process,” he explained.

The senator drew a sharp parallel with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s failed re-election campaign in 2015. At the time, Jonathan had also received the backing of 22 governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yet he lost to Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

“This kind of premature endorsement has happened before—more than once. Jonathan had 22 governors backing him. What was the result? He lost, and lost badly. A lot of money was spent, and the election was even postponed, but the people made their decision. We still haven’t learned from that. I genuinely pity Mr President,” Ndume warned.

He also took aim at the political establishment for assuming that elite endorsements automatically translate to electoral success. “Politicians may be defecting here and there, but the real voters—the people—are not moving with them. The masses will decide, not politicians playing to the gallery,” he said.