President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Plateau State has sparked heated debate and political speculation across the country. In this analysis, UKANDI ODEY examines the mixed reactions surrounding the visit, exploring its deeper political significance, timing and the contrasting perceptions it evoked among supporters and critics alike.
For its sheer enormity and spirited cultural agenda, President Tinubu’s visit to Plateau State came with tension and divided opinions. Coming three years after his last multi-billion-naira political campaign in the state to flag off the APC’s presidential campaign for the 2023 general
e l e c t i o n s , t h i s v i s i t—t h o u g h necessary—was shrouded in solemnity, being tied to the funeral of the mother of Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, the sixth National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President’s visit on October 4 was justified on the fallible logic of the English saying, “early to bed, early to rise.” Under the guise of attending a funeral, the visit appeared to serve a broader political purpose. It was an opportunity to engage Northern church leaders in what many saw as a veiled prelude to the 2027 campaign.
Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s restrictions on early political campaigns, the event became a platform for dialogue and strategic engagement with Christian leaders.
Reports from the meeting indicate that the clergy responded firmly, even overcoming initial resistance from overzealous security operatives. A brief altercation ensued, but the men of God, determined and undeterred, prevailed, while the security personnel sought to deflect blame onto journalists covering the event. Message to the church According to accounts from insiders, President Tinubu reassured the church leaders that his visit to COCIN Headquarters, Jos, was not merely ceremonial but a demonstration of solidarity with the Christian community. He reportedly addressed past concerns about the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2023, describing it as a regrettable deviation in Nigeria’s political history and an affront to the Church.
Under the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, the President encouraged Christian leaders to expect a better deal in his administration and beyond. He urged them to look forward to an improved partnership and inclusion in governance, suggesting that his future running mate might be of the Christian faith. It was a statement analysts interpret as an olive branch to the Christian electorate.
Observers note that this outreach is a calculated attempt to mend fences with the Christian bloc, particularly in the North, where his political relations have been strained. By appealing to the robust Christian population, President Tinubu appears to be seeking a strategic alliance
with the South-West, South-East and South-South regions to strengthen his 2027 re-election bid.
Opposition’s critique Critics, however, have dismissed the visit as a politically motivated move disguised as condolence. They argue that the
president’s failure to visit Plateau during the numerous herdsmen and bandit attacks in Bassa, Riyom, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and other parts of the state undermines the sincerity of his current gesture. The opposition accuses him of prioritising political gain over compassion for the victims of violence, describing his recent appearance as a “political dance on the grave of the deceased.”
The opposition further questioned the president’s choice to attend the funeral service rather than the actual burial in Du n g um v i l l a g e , Ka n k e L o c a l Government Area, the deceased’s home.
They contend that as a Muslim, his focus should have been on the interment rather than the church service, which conveniently doubled as a venue for political engagement with Christian leaders.
From the Yakubu Gowon Airport in H e i p a n g t h r o u g h ma j o r J o s roads—Yakubu Gowon Way, Joseph Gomwalk Way, and Fidelis Tapgun Road—the atmosphere was festive, lined with political groups and rented crowds.
While this spectacle reflected the vibrancy of Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s urban renewal efforts, critics argue that the carnival-like setting robbed the occasion of the solemnity befitting a funeral. They lamented that there was no moment of silence for victims of recurring
violence across the state, underscoring what they called the visit’s “tone-deaf political choreography.”
Day of mixed emotions For Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, it was a day of both grief and gratitude. His emotional speech during
the church service captured the loneliness of orphanhood and his appreciation for President Tinubu’s presence. However, opposition voices
dismissed the president’s attendance as “self-serving crocodile tears.”
In the end, there was indeed a burial, witnessed by many and recorded in the state’s collective memory. The visit, whether seen as a gesture of condolence or a calculated political manoeuvre, left an indelible mark on Plateau’s political landscape. The people will remember it as a moment when faith, politics and emotion intertwined—each seeking to define the true essence of leadership and empathy in a time of national uncertainty.