Former lawmaker and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Adamu Garba, has advised President Bola Tinubu not to be deceived by sycophants around him, lamenting that things are not easy for Nigerians.

Mr Garba, who spoke in an interview aired on Channels TV on Tuesday, also said things are not well with the ruling party.

“I believe there are a lot of sycophants around the president. People are telling him that things are okay. Things are not okay,” Mr Garba maintained.

The politician said members of the African Democratic Congress coalition were determined to capitalise on the weaknesses of the ruling party, urging the APC to buckle down ahead of 2027.

“They (ADC coalition) hope for our loss, and that is why we need to be serious,” the APC chieftain said. “That is the more reason why we need to be very sincere with ourselves and make sure that the leadership of the party is somebody that is truthful and capable of listening to criticisms and accepting the facts without any flattery, without any sycophancy.”

Mr Garba’s latest statement came days after the former lawmaker expressed concern over droves of Northerners leaving the party to join the newly launched coalition, emphasising the need for APC members to reaffirm their commitment to the party.

Meanwhile, the ruling party recently declared that there was no vacancy in Aso Rock, the seat of power, until 2031 and that the North remained solidly for Mr Tinubu to stay in office for another four years.

“It’s a lie from the pit of hell to claim the North is ganging up against Tinubu,” APC national secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, said, dismissing ADC coalition as a mushroom party and contraption filled with self-serving individuals who lack political relevance.