Former Southeast campaign spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Josef Onoh, has dismissed Senator Kabiru Marafa’s recent threat to deduct one million votes from Tinubu’s tally in the 2027 presidential election, describing it as unrealistic and driven by personal grievances.
Onoh also rejected Marafa’s allegation of “use-and-dump” politics against President Tinubu, stressing that the senator’s outbursts reflect more of personal disappointment than an objective assessment of the administration.
“Marafa’s threat of reducing Tinubu’s votes could only be achieved by a political numerical magician,” Onoh said.
Providing a broader context on Tinubu’s leadership, Onoh argued that the President has remained committed to Nigeria, including Zamfara State. He quoted, “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”
He faulted Marafa’s claim that Zamfara is the most sidelined state in Nigeria, insisting that the Tinubu administration has prioritised equitable resource allocation under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“For instance, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, recently clarified that infrastructure projects have been distributed fairly across the six geopolitical zones. Although the Southeast strongly disagree, it accepts that under the current administration, the five Southeast governors and all other state governors have received more allocations than any governor since 1999. So, we can’t blame the president for their failure to develop the region with significant investments on roads, agriculture, and security nationwide.”
Onoh stressed that Zamfara has not been neglected, pointing to the appointment of Bello Matawalle as Minister of State for Defence, a role he described as “critical given Zamfara’s security challenges.”
“This appointment reflects Tinubu’s recognition of Zamfara’s strategic importance in addressing banditry and insecurity in the North-West. Marafa’s criticism that Tinubu’s government has failed to address insecurity in Zamfara is an oversimplification. The administration has taken concrete steps to tackle banditry and kidnapping, including deploying security forces and enhancing intelligence operations. While Marafa claims security was only deployed during elections, the reality is that Tinubu’s government has sustained efforts to combat insecurity nationwide, including Zamfara state where banditry remains a complex challenge inherited from previous administrations.”
He further noted that reforms in the security architecture, such as increased funding for the military and police, are part of Tinubu’s long-term strategy. “Blaming Tinubu for ongoing security issues ignores the deep-rooted nature of these challenges and the administration’s ongoing efforts to address them.”
On Marafa’s criticism of the APC’s reward system, Onoh admitted: “Marafa’s accusation that Tinubu failed to reform the APC’s internal reward system and instead institutionalised a ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’ culture to a great extent I concede to be true, and hopefully the president will change the narrative soon.”
He clarified, however, that the fault lies more with “greedy party stakeholders” than with the President. “The fault can be found in the various greedy party stakeholders who the president has saddled with distributing the rewards amongst key party loyalists but rather they distribute it amongst family members and personal associates who mostly worked against the president.”
Onoh stressed that northern leaders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, hold prominent positions in the administration, adding: “Marafa’s claim of being sidelined overlooks the fact that political appointments are based on merit, loyalty, and strategic considerations, not merely personal expectations. His resignation from the APC and subsequent attacks suggest a reaction to unmet personal ambitions rather than systemic betrayal.”
He acknowledged Marafa’s contributions in 2023 but cautioned against exaggerated claims. “Political loyalty cannot guarantee every individual’s desired role. If that be the criteria then I can boldly say that the Tinubu-led government has been most unfair to me which is true in every way but never for one day have I complained because my support is rooted for the love of country above personal gains.”
On Marafa’s boast of controlling one million votes, Onoh said: “Marafa’s assertion that he can deduct one million votes from Tinubu’s 2023 tally is ambitious but questionable. In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu secured 1,453,452 votes in the North-West, with Zamfara contributing a significant portion due to the APC’s strong campaign, in which Marafa played a role. However, his claim to single-handedly influence one million votes ignores the collective efforts of the APC’s structure and the broader voter sentiment in Zamfara State.”
He argued that Marafa’s reference to Governor Dauda Lawal’s 2023 victory as proof of shifting political alignment “exaggerates his own influence,” noting that Lawal’s win was driven by “local dynamics and anti-incumbency sentiment, not solely Marafa’s political clout.”
On allegations of “use-and-dump,” Onoh countered: “Marafa’s use-and-dump accusation is a mischaracterization of Tinubu’s leadership style. Although not perfect, throughout his political career, Tinubu as a person has been known for nurturing alliances and rewarding loyalty contrary to the APC as a party with various personal interest groups. His continued support for Vice President Shettima and other leaders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity.”
He added that Marafa’s comparisons to Nasir El-Rufai and Abdullahi Ganduje were misleading. “Tinubu’s administration has appointed numerous northerners to key positions, including ministers, agency heads, and security chiefs, debunking claims of marginalisation. If one should speak of marginalisation, myself as a southeastern have all moral justification to speak out on behalf of my region because we are heavily marginalised but we are silent because our pain can be seen in our silence.”
Onoh argued that Marafa’s fixation on 2027 distracts from the Tinubu administration’s current priorities. “I can authoritatively say that President Tinubu is preoccupied with tackling economic, security, and infrastructural issues across the country, including in the North-West. His policies, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and efforts to stabilise the economy, are designed for long-term national benefit, even if they face short-term resistance.”
He concluded: “Senator Kabiru Marafa’s claims may be rooted in personal disappointment rather than a fair assessment of President Tinubu’s leadership. While Marafa’s contributions to the APC’s 2023 victory are acknowledged, his vow to deduct one million votes is an overstatement of his individual influence and underestimates Tinubu’s broad support base. President Tinubu remains focused on delivering transformative governance for all Nigerians, including the people of Zamfara, and will continue to work toward a united and prosperous Nigeria by 2027 subject to the will of God above numerical deductions.”
