Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has attributed the growing alignment of some opposition governors with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to political survival, electoral calculations and the need to protect the interests of their respective states.

Sani made the submission on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he examined the emerging political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His comments came against the backdrop of changing political relationships involving opposition governors, including Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, whose approaches to the Federal Government have increasingly reflected a willingness to cooperate with the Tinubu administration despite their different political platforms.

According to Sani, the governors are weighing their present political circumstances against their long-term ambitions and the interests of the people they govern.

He argued that in Nigeria’s political environment, elected officials cannot afford to ignore the importance of maintaining a functional relationship with the Federal Government, particularly where such relationships could translate into benefits for their states.

“If you are a politician, you look at both sides of what will be better for your present and also for your future. And strategically, what will also be easier for your people,” Sani said.

The former lawmaker said governors such as Otti of the Labour Party, Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and Adeleke of the Accord Party had assessed the available political alternatives and concluded that identifying with Tinubu offered them a safer political route.

“They have weighed the two options, and they have seen that they are safer and better identifying with Asiwaju,” he said.

Sani maintained that the decision should not necessarily be interpreted as an endorsement of every policy or performance of the Tinubu administration, but rather as a strategic calculation by politicians operating within the realities of Nigeria’s political system.

He cited Soludo as an example, arguing that the Anambra governor would find it difficult to align himself with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar because of what he described as Atiku’s limited political strength in Anambra.

He also said Soludo would not want to restrict his political future to the South-East by aligning exclusively with Peter Obi, whose strongest political base remains in the region.

Sani argued that Soludo was therefore looking beyond regional politics and positioning Anambra within the wider national political structure.

The former senator made a similar argument about Abia State Governor Alex Otti, saying that the governor would have to consider the broader political interests of his state rather than limiting his options to the South-East.

According to him, the absence of a single opposition figure with sufficiently broad national reach has strengthened Tinubu’s position ahead of 2027.

“If there is a kind of political figure in the opposition, who commands the respect outside of his own zone, Atiku is only stronger in some parts of Northern states,” he said.

Sani questioned which opposition candidate could effectively deliver the various geopolitical zones, arguing that the current opposition landscape remained fragmented along regional and political lines.

He maintained that Tinubu, as the incumbent president, possessed a wider national political reach that opposition figures currently lacked.

The former senator also examined the evolving relationship between Tinubu and Adeleke following the Osun State governorship election.

He noted that although Adeleke secured a second term after winning the August 15 governorship election on the Accord Party platform, the political dynamics surrounding the 2027 presidential election could be different.

According to Sani, Adeleke understands that winning the governorship election does not automatically translate into control over how Osun voters will vote in a presidential election.

He said the governor must therefore consider both his political future and the broader interests of Osun State.

“He has won his election, and Tinubu has stopped any form of interference to tamper with that,” Sani said.

The former lawmaker also referenced the controversy surrounding the freezing of the Osun State Government’s account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission shortly before the governorship election, noting that President Tinubu subsequently directed the EFCC to vacate the court order.

For Sani, the episode illustrated why political leaders may find it difficult to completely sever relationships with those controlling the Federal Government.

“Adeleke needs Tinubu. Tinubu needs Adeleke,” he said.

He stressed that political relationships in Nigeria are often shaped more by strategic interests than by ideological consistency.

Sani said elected politicians must first secure their political positions before they can effectively pursue policies and programmes.

“If you are a politician, before you think of any policy or programme, you first of all have to think of winning an election and remaining on your seat because politics is the vehicle to other things,” he said.

He further advised politicians to understand the political equations within their constituencies and make decisions that protect both their immediate positions and future ambitions.

“You must secure your seat first. You must secure your state first before you think of the next thing to do,” he added.

The former senator also argued that competence alone does not guarantee electoral success, stressing that politicians must understand and navigate the structures that determine political power.

“You can be the most competent person in Nigeria, you can be the best person in Nigeria, but you have to go through the political ritual for you to assume political office,” Sani said.

He said the emerging alliances involving opposition governors and the Tinubu administration should therefore be viewed against the realities of Nigerian politics, where political partnerships frequently change in response to electoral calculations, shifting alliances and the perceived interests of constituents.

With the 2027 general elections drawing closer, Sani’s comments highlight the growing importance of political realignments across party lines, as governors and other political actors reassess their options and seek strategies capable of securing their political future while maintaining access to the Federal Government.