Revealed: Faces behind Tinubu Must Go’ campaign

The “Tinubu Must Go” campaign, which emerged from chants during Democracy Day protests in June 2026, has developed into an organised political movement seeking to mobilise Nigerians ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to Daily Trust, the movement was founded by human rights lawyers Abba Hikima Fagge and Hamza Nuhu Dantani, who describe it as a non-partisan public enlightenment platform seeking to oppose President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

The movement recently drew attention after five men were arrested in Maiduguri while possessing T-shirts bearing its slogan. Borno police, however, said the arrests were linked to alleged public disturbance, thuggery and suspected illicit drugs, not political expression.

“The command wishes to categorically state that the Nigeria Police Force is a professional, non-partisan institution and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of political affiliation or viewpoint,” police spokesperson ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso said.

The defendants pleaded not guilty, while Amnesty International, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress criticised their arrests.

Dantani said dissatisfaction with economic policies, insecurity and hardship inspired the movement.

“What inspired us to establish this movement is looking at the way the government and policies of this government are not friendly to the progress of this country,” he said.

“We wanted to see the changes. We wanted to bring changes to this administration,” he added.

Dantani said TMG wants opposition politicians to unite around one presidential candidate but has not formally endorsed anyone.

“Our initial intention was to serve them with letters so that at least we need unity. Let them unite themselves and come up with one contestant who will contest on behalf of the opposition,” he said.

His co-convener, Hikima, has personally backed Atiku following an online poll, but Dantani said that position was not an official TMG endorsement.

Political scientist Professor Murtala Muhammad said the movement’s challenge would be translating online mobilisation into broader political organisation.

“Formerly, it was ‘Tinubu Must Go’. Then who will come? Is it Obi, is it Atiku, is it another individual or another party?” Muhammad said.

He argued that competing ambitions among opposition figures could complicate efforts to field a common challenger, requiring TMG to expand beyond social media into voter engagement, grassroots structures and coalition building.