Nigerian journalist, Rufai Oseni, has applauded President Bola Tinubu after former Defence Minister, General T.Y. Danjuma, retd., and other leaders from the Middle Belt, including former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, endorsed his re-election bid at the meeting.
Naija News reports that Oseni, during ARISE Television’s Morning Show on Monday, analysed the significance of Danjuma’s endorsement and the presence of other prominent figures.
Oseni said the endorsement was good for Tinubu but questioned whether endorsements from influential political and religious figures would translate into votes for the president in the 2027 presidential election.
According to Oseni, elite support did not necessarily reflect the position of ordinary Nigerians.
Oseni argued that Nigeria was divided between an elite class that had benefited from government patronage and ordinary citizens who still struggled to meet basic needs.
He said while the elite class had enjoyed government contracts, rent-seeking opportunities and proximity to power, many Nigerians had yet to benefit from the country’s resources.
Oseni added that ordinary Nigerians were more concerned about access to potable water, security, and the protection of lives and property than endorsements from influential individuals.
He said, “Good endorsement for President Tinubu because it was not only T.Y. Danjuma that I saw at that meeting; there were a couple of other Christian leaders in the Middle Belt and the like.
“Good one for him, but the question is, will it trickle down? You see, the thing about elite endorsement is that elite endorsement gears towards the elites.
“They don’t ask for too much. They are not protesting on the streets because they don’t have power, electricity, or water. They just want the basics to work for them, and those are the people that are going to vote in this election, not the elite class that has always benefited.”
