The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, on Wednesday said that while he would prefer not to be dragged into discussions over who may become President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in 2027, he would gladly accept any responsibility the president assigns to him.
Speaking at a press conference on the forthcoming zonal public hearing of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Barau said: “Whatever the President asks me to do, I will do it 100 per cent.”
This followed a comment he made on Tuesday urging a group pushing for his vice presidential bid to focus instead on supporting the president’s agenda.
Addressing the issue again, he said: “Bringing this issue up is quite premature. That’s why I told those groups—frankly, I don’t know them. I thank them for believing in me. But I told them, look, instead of wasting your energy on things that are not relevant now, channel your resources to support the President.
“When the time comes, we’ll play politics. But this time is for governance.”
Barau further described Tinubu as his political father, to whom he owes loyalty. “Mr President is my political father. You’ll be surprised if I tell you what he has done for me and my people. So, whenever he asks me to do something, when the time comes, I’ll do it. I’m very loyal to him.”
He credited President Tinubu for resolving intra-party issues in Kano, ensuring his return to the Senate in 2023, and supporting his emergence as Deputy Senate President.
“So, if the time comes and he says, ‘I want you to work with me,’ I would say, ‘Thank you, sir,’ and I will do it. Whatever he asks me to do, I’ll do. I’m loyal to him, 100 per cent. The president is the father of the nation, so make no mistake,” he said.
Barau emphasised the shared ideological bond within the ruling All Progressives Congress. “Our fates are tied together. We come from the same family — we are Progressives. I am a progressive to the core. So, we cherish loyalty. I’m 100 per cent loyal to Mr President. In 2027, I’ll do whatever he tells me to do.”