Running mate controversy: I’m waiting on Tinubu for next move – Deputy Senate President

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau has dispelled speculations linking him as a potential running mate to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, stating he will abide by any political decision made by the president regarding the elections.

Speaking at a press conference in the National Assembly on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, where he unveiled plans for nationwide public hearings on the ongoing constitutional review, Barau reaffirmed his unwavering loyalty to Tinubu, describing himself as fully committed to the current administration.

“This is not the time for politics. This is the time for governance,” Barau told journalists. “The President is working round the clock to tackle the challenges he inherited. He is my political leader, my father in this journey. I owe him everything, including my place in the Senate and my current office. My loyalty to him is total.”

Barau clarified that he had no knowledge of individuals behind recent campaign posters associating him with a 2027 presidential bid. “I don’t know the people behind those campaigns. They are not acting on my behalf,” he said. “When the time for politics comes, we will talk. But for now, it’s about standing with Mr President, serving the country, and doing the job the people elected us to do.”

This statement aligns with Barau’s earlier rejection of calls by the Northern Nigeria Progressive Youth Assembly (NNPYA) urging Tinubu to pick him as a running mate in 2027, which he described as “misplaced” and “premature” in a press release on June 24, 2025.

Barau also announced that zonal constitutional review hearings will be held on July 4 and 5, 2025, across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to enable citizens to contribute to amending the 1999 Constitution.

“We are taking the Constitution review process to the doorsteps of Nigerians,” Barau said. “This is about inclusive democracy. People who cannot travel to Abuja must still have a say in how their country is governed.”

He disclosed that the Senate Committee on Constitution Review had received 59 amendment bills, covering proposals on state creation, restructuring, and local government autonomy, but emphasised that new submissions were still welcome. “It is not limited to what we have received. Every Nigerian still has a chance to contribute,” he said.

The hearings will be chaired by key Senate figures: Senate President Godswill Akpabio will lead the South-South session in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele will head the South-West session in Lagos; the Deputy Chief Whip will chair the South-East session in Enugu; the Deputy Senate Leader will lead the North-Central hearing in Jos, Plateau; Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno will oversee the North-East session in Maiduguri, Borno; and Barau will host the North-West session in Kano.

Barau urged the media to amplify public awareness about the hearings, warning that without widespread participation, the reform effort would lack legitimacy. He also commended the Senate Committee on Constitution Review for initiating the town halls and expressed confidence in their success.