2027: Why President Tinubu Is Leaning Towards Amosun In Ogun

Top-level sources say there are strong indications that former Governor Ibikunle Amosun will be handling a lot of back-channel activities for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.

Amosun is said to have caught the President’s interest based on his reputation.

“SIA is a man of firm conviction — everybody knows that. Once he takes a stand, he sticks with it, no matter whose ox is gored. The President is working on tapping into that trait amid shifting allegiances across party lines ahead of the next presidential election,” insiders disclosed.

SIA is the acronym for Senator Ibikunle Amosun. He is a former representative of Ogun Central — from 2003 to 2007, and from 2019 to 2023 — at the Red Chamber.

President Tinubu is seeking a second term in office and has been receiving a wave of endorsements, even from opposition party leaders — with some going as far as joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a strong show of open loyalty.

“But the President is a very cautious man who always has extra layers of precautions in place for all his moves. He is targeting the support of people known to stand by their word, once given, as a hedge against the open allegiances boosting his re-election bid. And Amosun is top on his radar in Ogun State,” according to those in the know.

The former Governor of Ogun State — from May 29, 2011, to May 29, 2019 — owns one of four powerful political structures in the state and possesses solid, extensive contacts nationwide, particularly in the North.

Among other high-value connections, Amosun is one of the very few southern politicians with everyday access to former President Muhammadu Buhari, who maintains a fanatical street following in the region.

A presidential aspirant in the 2023 election, the former governor led the wave of step-downs at the APC presidential primary that helped Tinubu emerge as the flagbearer — and eventually, President of Nigeria.