The former Special Assistant on New Media to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has claimed that social activist, Aisha Yesufu, may have become discouraged after failing to secure the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial ticket for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ahmad, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, made the comment while reacting to Yesufu’s decision not to accompany the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on extensive campaign tours as she did during the 2023 election.
Yesufu had recently indicated that although she would continue to support Obi, her involvement in the next election would take a different form.
The activist said, “Yes, I will still campaign with Peter Obi when necessary, but you might not see me travelling around with him as much as possible.”
Reacting in a post on his official 𝕏 account, Ahmad argued that Yesufu’s reduced visibility on the campaign trail could be linked to her failure to obtain the senatorial ticket.
The former presidential aide said Yesufu had remained loyal to Obi over the years but claimed the former Anambra State governor failed to reciprocate that loyalty when she needed his support.
Ahmad wrote, “Aisha Yusuf has every reason to feel demoralised and she has announced that she will not be campaigning for Peter Obi state by state as she did in 2023.
He argued that Obi should have intervened to help Yesufu secure the ticket, given her longstanding support for his political ambitions.
The former presidential aide said, “It is a well known fact that Mr Peter, her principal, could not stand up for her to secure the senatorial ticket, despite the fact that she has consistently stood by him since joining his team.”
Ahmad further accused Obi of prioritising his own presidential ambition over the interest of an ally who had supported him.
He further stated, “When it mattered most, he appears to have chosen to protect his own presidential ticket rather than stand up for someone who had stood up for him. In politics, loyalty should be reciprocal.
“Something his deputy, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, would never do. In Kano, he went as far as ensuring that his own son secured the deputy governorship ticket. That is what standing by your people looks like.”
