The Emir of Katsina has delivered a stinging rebuke to a delegation from President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, telling it that insecurity must come before electioneering and warning that voters may take handouts but still vote against the ruling party.
“My palace is not a polling centre to visit every 4 years when pressed during election only to vanish till another election cycle,” the emir said, according to a widely shared account of his remarks.
“Fifty-two schools closed”
The emir said banditry had devastated his domain and surrounding areas.
“In my emirate alone, fifty-two schools closed because of bandits. Same number in Doka. Farmers cannot go to farm in 12 local government areas of Katsina. People pay up to ten to twenty million naira to Bello Turji and his boys,” he said.
“Go and bring him”
He took aim at the visitors’ talk of a campaign led by a director-general, saying security should be the priority.
“And you come talking about DG campaign for Tinubu 2027. Should you not be talking about DG security for Katsina 2026? Where is Bello Turji? You promised to handle security. Bello Turji is in the forest, a hundred kilometres from here. Go and bring him, then come and campaign.”
Warning on votes
The emir warned that self-serving politics would be met in kind at the ballot box.
“If you are selfish, my people will be selfish with their votes. If you do politics of selfishness only for your family, for your cronies, for your friends, and for your contacts, then people will also do politics of selfishness. They will collect your rice and vote against you. They will collect five thousand and still vote for who they want.”
He recalled that voters in Katsina split their ballots in 2023 despite the distribution of rice and cash.
“In 2023, you brought rice, you brought money, but Katsina people still split their votes. In 2027, if you bring the same selfish politics, they will collect your money but will not vote for you. And I assure you that.”
