‘I Saw How Tinubu Was Humiliated With Korokoro eyes’ – Laolu Akande

Former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has recounted how President Bola Tinubu was allegedly marginalised and humiliated during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Naija News reports that Akande, speaking on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, said he personally witnessed instances of Tinubu being sidelined during Buhari’s presidency.

According to Akande, Tinubu endured mistreatment within the All Progressives Congress (APC) despite his contributions to Buhari’s 2015 presidential emergence.

Akande said Tinubu did not let the treatment push him out of the APC but stayed and kept organising politically until he eventually succeeded Buhari in 2023.

He said, “What did they not do against Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Tell me, what did they not do? Even between 2015 and 2023, the man was marginalised. I saw him with my korokoro eyes.

“I sat in meetings where they put Bola Ahmed Tinubu behind me. He just waited. He bided his time.” 

Speaking on the 2027 election, Akande dismissed claims that the ruling APC divided opposition leaders, saying political parties must withstand pressure from the party in power.

The former presidential aide attributed the opposition’s difficulties partly to ego, arguing that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, should take the initiative to build a united front against Tinubu.

Akande urged Atiku to put aside his personal ambition for the opposition’s collective goal ahead of the 2027 general election.

He added, “I’m not saying it’s right, but this is how they have done it. So, if you are serious as opposition, you must be able to withstand it and rise to the top by doing what has become common sense.

“But to the point, I think it is ego. So, the person that ought to make the move here is Atiku.

“Atiku is one that was supposed to say, ‘You know what? We are going to make sure that we get this guy out, and I’m going to sacrifice.’”