Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
In a stunning turn of event, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has declared his readiness to serve as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the 2027 presidential election, if the president desired it.
Barau had earlier in the week condemned calls for him to be Tinubu’s running mate in 2027 by some group, saying it was bad politics and inauspicious.
Thus, his new position followed recent agitation by a northern political group calling on Tinubu to consider replacing Vice President Kashim Shettima in the next election cycle.
Responding, Barau distanced himself from the group but expressed gratitude for the confidence they reposed in him.
But speaking to journalists at the National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday, Barau said he owed his political rise to Tinubu and would do “whatever he asks” as a matter of principle and loyalty.
“Whatever the president tells me to do, I will do. I’m loyal to him 100%. If he says I should be his running mate, I will say, ‘Thank you, sir,’ and I will do it,” he said.
Barau credited Tinubu with playing a key role in resolving political tensions in Kano and supporting his elevation to the position of Deputy Senate President.
“Mr. President is a kind-hearted leader. When we had issues in Kano, he stood by me. He ensured I got the Senate ticket and supported me to become Deputy Senate President,” he said.
Barau praised President Tinubu’s governance efforts, saying the administration inherited significant challenges and had since been working tirelessly to address them.
He described the president as a “father of the nation” who deserved the full support of all Nigerians.
“We have another two years to go. What we need now is support for the president to succeed. When he succeeds, we all succeed. Our faiths are tied together,” he added.
He, however, stressed that it was premature to talk about 2027 politics and urged Nigerians to remain focused on national development rather than speculation.
Barau, however, used the occasion to speak on the upcoming zonal constitutional review summits, scheduled to hold across Nigeria on July 4th and 5th.
He reaffirmed National Assembly’s commitment to a participatory constitutional reform process that reflects the aspirations of all Nigerians.
“We’re taking the Constitution Review Committee to the people — to their doorsteps. This is the beauty of democracy. We want Nigerians to ventilate their views directly,” he said.
The zonal hearings will be held in Ikot Ekpene (South-South), Lagos (South-West), Enugu (South-East), Jos (North-Central), Maiduguri (North-East), and Kaduna (North-West), with each zone chaired by a senior senator from the region.
Barau urged Nigerians from all walks of life — professionals, academics, and grassroots participants — to actively engage with the constitutional review process to shape the future of the country.