In Nigeria’s political theatre, few figures evoke the kind of intrigue and quiet influence that governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state brings to the table.
His return to the epicenter of power within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has not just stirred whispers, but has also rekindled memories of a time when party politics danced to the rhythm of his strategy.
Once dubbed the “Defector General” during his tenure as chairman of the APC’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Buni orchestrated a period marked by high-profile defections and an influx of political heavyweights. His methods measured, patient, and persuasive earned him accolades as a unifier in a party often tested by internal divides.
Now, with his appointment to the seven member APC National Executive Committee (NEC), the echoes of his previous tenure are reverberating once again.
Political observers and party faithful alike are watching as the same man who once steadied the APC ship is handed the rudder once more.
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The signs are unmistakable. Behind closed doors, conversations, as observed by The Trumpet, have resumed, as old alliances are being revisited, and new ones are quietly forming. There’s a subtle, almost imperceptible shift in the body language of politicians across the aisle like swimmers eyeing a familiar shore.
Buni’s leadership style is far from combative. It is rooted in political intuition, understanding the pulse of the grassroots, sensing the winds of change, and working within the party’s framework to create bridges, not barricades.
Where others see political rivalry, Buni sees opportunity for expansion. It was this very gift that transformed the APC into a gravitational force for defectors in years past.
His reemergence is timely. The APC, while still Nigeria’s ruling party, has been navigating a series of internal rumbles and waning public enthusiasm. With key elections on the horizon, the party needs not just a strategist, but a stabilizer and Buni’s track record suggests he may be just that.
In Nigerian politics, influence often speaks in actions rather than speeches. And already, the ripple effects of Buni’s return are being felt. Political operators are adjusting their calculations. Opposition members are whispering of realignments. Even the party’s internal organs seem to be responding to a newfound coherence.
The man from Yobe, according to some chieftains of the party who spoke with The Trumpet, is not just bringing back memories he’s potentially setting the stage for another wave of political recalibrations.
His blessing hand, as some call it, appears to be stirring the APC pot once again this time with even greater subtlety.
For party loyalists, the return of Buni is a source of renewed optimism. For the opposition, it is a reason to be watchful. But for Nigeria’s political landscape, it is a reminder that in the corridors of power, experience is never far from relevance.