Senator Garba Musa Maidoki has urged Nigerians to judge President Bola Tinubu’s administration by one simple measure: whether their personal circumstances have improved.
The Kebbi South lawmaker said voters who feel their lives have gotten better under Tinubu should support the president, while those who do not should consider other options at the polls. Maidoki made the remarks at a briefing on Sunday as political activity ahead of the 2027 general election gathers pace.
Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, and is expected to seek a second term on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform. Maidoki is now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Maidoki first won the Kebbi South Senate seat in the February 25, 2023 election as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, polling 75,232 votes to defeat then-incumbent APC senator Bala Ibn Na Allah, who received 70,785 votes, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission returning officer for Kebbi South.
He later moved from the PDP to the APC in May 2025 alongside fellow Kebbi senators Muhammad Adamu Aliero and Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi. In June 2026, Maidoki left the APC for the ADC, citing internal disputes within the ruling party and dissatisfaction with the outcome of the party’s primaries in Kebbi State.
Maidoki said his decision followed consultations with people in his constituency and a dispute surrounding the APC primaries. He also linked his failure to secure the APC ticket to his criticism of the security situation in Kebbi South, particularly in the Zuru area. The Kebbi State Government rejected his account, saying the senator had lost a fair contest.
In the Senate, Maidoki chairs the Committee on Legislative Compliance and serves as vice chairman of the Committee on Information and National Orientation. He has repeatedly called for stronger action against bandit attacks affecting communities in Kebbi South.
Maidoki’s comments come amid debate over economic reforms introduced since Tinubu took office, including removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange system. The World Bank has said these reforms have helped improve government revenue, external balances and broader economic stability, but they have also put pressure on many households. Petrol prices rose after subsidy removal, the naira weakened following foreign exchange changes, and food and other household costs increased, eroding purchasing power.
The World Bank’s April 2026 Nigeria Development Update noted improvements in economic stability while warning that many households were still struggling to feel the benefits of the reforms. A more recent assessment estimated that more than 60 percent of Nigerians were living below the national poverty line in 2025, and that food inflation continued to burden poorer households, even as the economy showed stronger growth, higher revenues and improved foreign reserves.
Those competing realities—macroeconomic gains versus household hardship—are central to the political debate ahead of 2027. The Tinubu administration points to improved government revenues, stronger foreign reserves and greater economic stability as evidence of progress. Critics highlight ongoing high costs for food, transport, housing, medicine and energy and their impact on household incomes.
Maidoki has also questioned government spending and budget implementation, calling for greater accountability over borrowed funds and additional revenue generated by government agencies. On security, he has repeatedly urged the federal government to adopt an effective response to the banditry affecting Kebbi and neighbouring areas.
His latest message asks voters to weigh national statistics against their own experiences. Rather than relying solely on headline economic figures, Maidoki told Nigerians to decide at the ballot box whether the changes since 2023 have made their lives better.
The 2027 contest is already taking shape, with Tinubu expected to seek another term and opposition parties lining up challengers. Maidoki did not endorse any presidential ticket at the briefing, leaving the final decision to voters.
