Umar Ardo, Convener of the League of Northern Democrats, has explained how he advised former President Muhammadu Buhari to form a political alliance with Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the 2015 election.
Speaking during an interview on AIT News, Ardo said Buhari was initially not comfortable with the idea of Tinubu becoming his running mate. According to him, Buhari had reservations and concerns about the arrangement.
However, Ardo said he strongly encouraged Buhari to reconsider, stressing that Tinubu’s influence in the South-West was crucial for victory. He explained that while Buhari already had strong support in the North, he needed backing from another major region to win a national election.
Ardo pointed out that Tinubu controlled significant political structures in the South-West, which could deliver the votes Buhari needed. He added that combining northern support with South-West backing would create a winning formula.
He also noted that Tinubu, being an ambitious politician, would naturally be interested in a top position like vice president, making the alliance more realistic.
Ardo revealed that he personally initiated the idea and worked directly with Buhari to make it happen. He said Buhari later accepted the proposal and invited Tinubu into discussions, even though he himself had never met Tinubu at the time.
According to Ardo, this strategic alliance played a key role in Buhari’s eventual success at the polls.
In his words, "In the first place, Buhari was not comfortable with Tinubu's Vice presidency. But I told him that without Tinubu, forget it, it won't happen."
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