₦airaland Forum

Oh, so now it’s all about the South? How absolutely heartwarming. Suddenly, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the chief crusader for the Southern Agenda, draped in regional pride, quoting equity, and humming “power must stay in the South” like it’s his personal anthem.

Where was all this “southern love” hiding the past two decades?

Let’s not pretend we all have amnesia. The same Tinubu who is now styling himself as the voice of the South, spent decades doing everything but supporting southern presidential candidates. In fact, he made a political career out of backing northern contenders over and over again until, of course, it was his turn.

The irony? It’s not subtle. It’s blaring.

Let’s Rewind the Tape, Shall We?

1999: Obasanjo vs The Rest
Candidate: Olusegun Obasanjo (PDP) Southwest.

Tinubu’s Role: Opposed him. Ran under AD and became one of Obasanjo’s most reliable antagonists.

Yes, even when a fellow Yoruba man had the presidency in reach, Tinubu opted for opposition. Why? Because the "South" wasn’t exactly his priority. Power was.

2003: Buhari’s First Romance with the South.
Candidate Supported: Muhammadu Buhari (ANPP) – North.

Tinubu’s Role: Stayed silent, leaned north. The AD didn’t field a candidate, but Tinubu’s body language made it clear — Obasanjo could go campaign alone.

Tinubu began his *situationship* with northern opposition blocks here.

2007: The Atiku Experiment
Candidate Supported: Atiku Abubakar
AC, with Tinubu’s blessing: North

Tinubu’s Role: Architect of the Action Congress. Fielded Atiku, not a southerner.

“Atiku is a democrat,” Tinubu told Channels TV. “We need someone who can win.” Meaning, Regional equity can wait — I’m busy making moves.

2011: Ribadu, Round One
Candidate Supported: Nuhu Ribadu (ACN) - North.

Tinubu’s Party: ACN — yes, another northern candidate on his own platform.
Opponent: Goodluck Jonathan — an actual southerner running on PDP’s ticket.

Tinubu backed his man Ribadu while trashing Jonathan in the Southwest.

2015: The Big Betrayal
Candidate Supported: Muhammadu Buhari (APC) – North

Tinubu’s Role: Kingmaker-in-Chief. Formed the APC, built Buhari’s campaign, delivered the Southwest.

Casualty: Goodluck Jonathan, a southern president sacrificed on the altar of northern alliance.

“It’s not about tribe, it’s about change. Jonathan has failed.” — Tinubu, 2015

2019: Four More Years of North
Candidate Supported: Buhari (APC) North

Tinubu’s Role: Loyal campaign bulldog. Defended every policy failure, gaslighted the Southwest into voting again for a north

So, still no southern love. But don’t worry — his turn was coming.

2023: Tinubu Finally Finds the South*
Candidate: Bola Tinubu (APC) Southwest

Slogan: “Emi lo kan” It’s my turn.

Tinubu’s Role: Suddenly became a patriot of regional balance and equity… after two decades of selective blindness.

“Southern Agenda activated. But only when the *Agenda* wore his name on the ballot.

Let’s Talk Hypocrisy: The 2015 Moment

If you want to understand the depth of this irony, go back to 2015,, Goodluck Jonathan, a sitting southern president was ousted in a political earthquake led by none other than Tinubu himself. He didn’t just join the project, he masterminded it.

That was the moment Southern unity fractured and Tinubu handed northern elites the keys to Aso Rock.

So now, in 2025, when APC folks start mumbling about “gentleman’s agreements” and “power rotation to the South,” forgive us if we squint. Because if that agreement existed, Tinubu clearly missed the memo or maybe he just used it as napkin at one of those merger meetings.

Let’s Be Honest: This “Southern Agenda” is not justice. It’s not equity. It’s not patriotism. It’s plain old self-interest wrapped in agbada.

As analyst Jide Ojo rightly noted:
“The Nigerian elite only invoke fairness and zoning when it serves their ambition. When it doesn’t, it becomes tribalism.”

Truth is, Tinubu never cared about zoning until zoning became his personal elevator to power.

And now that he’s president, we’re supposed to believe he’s suddenly the poster boy for Southern rights?

Come on.

This isn’t leadership. It’s rebranding.

The same man who betrayed Southern unity in 2015 is now asking the South to rally behind him in 2025, because, well, history should be selective, right?

But Nigerians remember. We remember the silence. The alliances. The betrayals.

So no, Mr. President. This isn’t your redemption arc.

It’s your full-circle moment and the sarcasm isn’t lost on anyone paying attention.

Running in circles, over and over again. Jonathan that you are making noise about will vote for Tinubu in 2027.

Southern love means South-South and South West it doesn't necessarily include South East.

He wants to stain the white of southern Nigeria. He is from Yoruba nobody in the south is with the failure except emilokans because failure is not the culture of south east and south south and can never be celebrated by SS & SE

Softmirror:
Running in circles, over and over again. Jonathan that you are making noise about will vote for Tinubu in 2027.

Jonathan can vote for whosoever he chooses to, if he likes he can vote for the same man that plotted his removal from the office,the same man that organized the infamous protest that led to his ouster, it’s solely his choice.

Softmirror:
Southern love means South-South and South West it doesn't necessarily include South East.

Since the return of democracy, has SS and SW ever voted along ?
When did the romance start ?.. Don’t tell me you have short memory

Love indeed !!

Betrayals aren't a new thing for Tinubu and his supporters actually.

Even the yet-to-come sacrificial lamb, Wike, also emerged from betray.

ibabz:
Jonathan can vote for whosoever he chooses to, if he likes he can vote for the same man that plotted his removal from the office,the same man that organized the infamous protest that led to his ouster, it’s solely his choice.

Rotimi Ameachi still holds the title he was honored by the Emir of Daura for kicking out Jonathan. He wore the full regalia to Daura during Buhari's funeral.

I guess Tinubu must have taken food off the table you were eating in the days of Jonathan's administration.

Once again, Southern love is South South and South West, South East is not necessarily included thank you.

Jonathan will surely vote for Tinubu in 2027.

Softmirror:
Southern love means South-South and South West it doesn't necessarily include South East.

Nobody wants a betraying lover

Ezeama400:
Since the return of democracy, has SS and SW ever voted along ?
When did the romance start ?.. Don’t tell me you have short memory

Love indeed !!

Take a look at their Governors today, how many now belong to the winning party. That's an insight.

Justiceleague1:
Nobody wants a betraying lover

Like Rotimi Ameachi, Jonathan was his brother.

Nothing like Southern unity as there is nothing like Northern unity. Each regions are free to align with whichever political formation that would benefit the interest of their region

Ezeama400:
Since the return of democracy, has SS and SW ever voted along ?
When did the romance start ?.. Don’t tell me you have short memory

Love indeed !!

Na one day something dey start. SS have more to gain in aligning with SW in 2027. They would also need SW in 2031.

You see why it's important as a region to have a political value

Softmirror:
Take a look at their Governors today, how many now belong to the winning party. That's an insight.

Belonging to the ruling party doesn’t mean they are with the masses..
When Labour was sweeping some states during presidential election, where were the governors of those states ?
The earlier you acknowledge the fact that some regions in Nigeria reason differently from the way you do , the better for you

Tinubu southern unity will never involve your 5 states that is why he n3ver bother campaigning icer there.

ibabz:
Oh, so now it’s all about the South? .

Ezeama400:
Belonging to the ruling party doesn’t mean they are with the masses..
When Labour was sweeping some states during presidential election, where were the governors of those states ?
The earlier you acknowledge the fact that some regions in Nigeria reason differently from the way you do , the better for you

That is where you all get it wrong. You think a governor will commit a political suicide because of another man's ambition?

When Jonathan tried all he could to make a south Westerner mulikat adeola emerge as rep leader,Tinubu then opposition ensure all opposition members in the house give support to Aminu Tambuwal a northern man instead to emerge as Number 4 citizen of the country.Tinubu's love has always been strategic,he doesn't have the interest of South at heart.

There is absolutely nothing for tinubu in the south East and South South.
We know he passionately hates the south.

Justnation:
There is absolutely nothing for tinubu in the south East and South South.
We know he passionately hates the south.

Exactly. The time he went after Jonathan he didn’t remember Jonathan was from the south

OP, go and concentrate on your life before it's too late for you to make it in life

It is all a psychological warfare by the south west against the other southerners

Ezeama400:
Since the return of democracy, has SS and SW ever voted along ?
When did the romance start ?.. Don’t tell me you have short memory

Love indeed !!

The south south don’t even like them , they know them for what they are snakes

Softmirror:
Southern love means South-South and South West it doesn't necessarily include South East.

You are deceiving yourself.

When you Bulabadeens voted Buhari in 2015, you declared that we Yorubas were not Southerners but Westerners.

People like madridguy, seunmsg, Freestuffng declared themselves Westerners not Southerners.

The threads are still here on NL, if you look well.

RichBoy247:
OP, go and concentrate on your life before it's too late for you to make it in life

Oh really? This is coming from the "Bill Gates of Africa"? Or should we say the Dangote of our generation? Maybe even Tony Elumelu in disguise? I’m struggling to connect your loud opinion with any visible achievement that justifies your inflated sense of arrival. But alas, here we are.

I usually weigh my responses to situations like this with three options: to ignore, to react, or to respond.

Ordinarily, I would have ignored you as one does with things irrelevant to growth or progress. But then a verse from Proverbs came to mind: “Answer a f00.l according to his fo.Ll.y, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” I figured silence might be mistaken as endorsement of whatever it is you believe you’ve just done here.

Now, reacting would be too generous. You haven’t earned that.

But responding? ah yes, let me do that. Because as Les Brown once said, “Once a man opens his mouth, you know the quality of his mind.” And after reading through the many comments on this thread; thoughtful, intelligent, and well-argued, I had to pause when I got to yours. Not because it stood out in brilliance, but because it stood out in its sheer emptiness.

If this is the best your intellect can produce, I won’t insul.t you. I’ll just suggest a moment of reflection. Not for me, but for the sake of any future conversation you hope to be taken seriously in.

Let me be kind and leave you with a piece of advice: When you have nothing meaningful to say, silence is free and powerful.

Let’s hope the cycle of misplaced confidence ends with you, don’t pass it across to your next generation, pls do the world that favor.

SuperEagles:
Tinubu southern unity will never involve your 5 states that is why he n3ver bother campaigning icer there.

even the south south hates the south west much more than the south east . The earlier you know this, the better