In a bold and impassioned declaration that has ignited intense political debate across Nigeria, pro-northern social-political organization Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and several prominent northern leaders have firmly stated that the North cannot be forced to re-elect President Bola Tinubu in 2027. This statement comes in direct response to remarks by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, who recently cautioned northern politicians with presidential ambitions to abandon any hopes for the 2027 elections, insisting that the North should instead wait until 2031.
Ganduje made his comments during a meeting at the party national Secretariat in Abuja, where he received a delegation from the President Tinubu Media Centre and the Tinubu Northern Youth Forum. According to Ganduje, it would be unfair for the North to be sidelined after a fellow northerner had been allowed to complete his eight-year term in office. “When a leader from the northern part of this country was in office for eight years, we advocated that the next president in our party should come from the South. Luckily enough, we worked very hard with the cooperation of Nigerians. Our president has come from the South and is going, Insha Allah, for a second term come 2027. And after that, it will be the turn of the northern part of this country,” he asserted.
However, this view has not been welcomed uniformly in the North. The ACF, along with several northern voices, has rejected Ganduje’s call for postponing northern presidential aspirations until 2031. They argue that no single individual or group should claim to speak on behalf of the entire North, and that the region’s political future should not be dictated by the ambitions of a few party insiders.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, dismissed Ganduje’s comments as indicative of a personality cult surrounding the presidency. “Given the nature of the Presidency, it has become something like a cult; a personality cult where allegiance to the president is paramount. We are in the season of politics, and while those near the corridors of power may express such views, it’s not constitutional,” Muhammad-Baba said. He emphasized that voters, not party elites, should decide who leads the North. “There’s nothing new in what Ganduje said. Many have made similar remarks before. Ultimately, it is up to the voters to endorse, reject, or modify these opinions. Voters are becoming wise as to where their leaders come from, and what will truly sell President Tinubu is not his mere candidacy, but the tangible impact of his policies on the people,” he added.
The controversy has also drawn reactions from other prominent political figures. A former APC National Vice Chairman from the North-West, Mallam Salihu Lukman, expressed his support for voices calling for a broader representation of northern interests. “El-Rufai is not saying anything different from what I have been saying all these while. The only difference is that he is speaking specifically for the North, while I speak for the whole country,” he told The PUNCH, underscoring the need for a unified approach that transcends regional biases.
Adding fuel to the debate, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has reiterated his stance as the rightful candidate for the presidency in the 2027 general elections. Speaking through his Commissioner for Natural Resources Development, Maiwada Bello, Governor Mohammed described Ganduje’s call as “silly” and urged northern youths to rally around his administration. Bello declared, “We are committed to building a government that reflects the energy and innovation of the youth. No other administration in the country has given young people as many opportunities to serve in high-level positions as my administration.” This support further highlights the deep divisions and competing narratives regarding northern political representation.
The unfolding debate is not confined to voices within the APC. Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, a long-time critic of the Tinubu administration, recently shared on his verified X handle an opinion piece titled “2027: South West, Tinubu’s supporters playing with fire – Part 1.” The post suggested that less than two years into Tinubu’s tenure, the relationship between the president and the North has already deteriorated, warning of potential political fallout if the current trajectory continues. El-Rufai’s commentary, along with similar sentiments from other northern critics like Babachir Lawal, a former ally-turned-foe of Tinubu, has reinforced the notion that the North is mobilizing on a massive scale to ensure that its voice is not silenced in the next presidential election. “If Tinubu wins another term, you know there will be one large refugee camp,” warned Lawal, emphasizing the urgency and gravity of the situation.
In contrast, some voices caution against framing the debate solely in regional or ethnic terms. A former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Anthony Sani, argued that neither El-Rufai nor Ganduje can claim to represent the North in partisan politics. “The North can be united politically on issues of real concern, but when it comes to partisan politics, it does not act in unison,” Sani asserted, recalling historical instances of political unity across regions during Nigeria’s Second Republic.
Furthermore, the National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, Malam Falalu Bello, expressed disappointment over the ethnic and religious overtones in the current debate. Bello noted that while the constitution gives President Tinubu the right to run for re-election, the PRP is prepared to field a candidate in 2027 who can bring good governance to Nigerians regardless of their regional origin. “The important thing is for the candidate to understand the need for one Nigeria,” Bello said, stressing that national unity should be the guiding principle rather than narrow regional interests.
As the 2027 general elections approach, the discourse surrounding the North’s political future intensifies. The ongoing debates among northern leaders and political factions underscore the deep-seated tensions and divergent visions for Nigeria’s political landscape. With multiple factions and influential voices vying for influence, it remains to be seen how these debates will shape voter sentiment and ultimately impact the electoral process.
In conclusion, the Arewa Consultative Forum and several prominent northern figures have made it unequivocally clear that the North cannot be forced to wait until 2031 to participate in the presidential contest.
Read also: https://symfoninews.com/el-rufai-and-2027-election-permutations/
