Prominent northern leaders, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), have dismissed calls by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, urging the North to wait until 2031 before seeking the presidency.
The ACF and other northern stakeholders insist that the region cannot be compelled to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, emphasizing that no single individual can dictate the North’s political direction.
Their response follows Ganduje’s remarks on Tuesday, where he warned northern politicians against contesting in 2027, stressing that Tinubu must complete two terms. Ganduje made the statement while receiving a delegation from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre and the Tinubu Northern Youth Forum at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
Defending his stance, Ganduje argued that fairness and political balance require Tinubu to complete his tenure, just as former President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, served two full terms.
“When a leader from the North was in office for eight years, we advocated that the next president should come from the South.
“Fortunately, with the support of Nigerians, our president is now from the South, and by Allah’s will, he will secure a second term in 2027.
“After that, it will be the North’s turn,” Ganduje declared.
El-Rufai Warns Against Imposing Tinubu on the North
However, former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, appeared to challenge Ganduje’s position, sharing a post on his verified X handle titled “2027: South West, Tinubu’s Supporters Playing with Fire – Part 1.”
The post suggested that Tinubu’s relationship with the North has deteriorated within two years and warned that, if not managed properly, he could face a fate similar to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who lost re-election in 2015 due to dwindling support from key political blocs.
ACF Rejects Ganduje’s Appeal
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) firmly rejected Ganduje’s call, insisting that the North cannot be pressured into backing Tinubu’s second term.
Speaking to Punch, ACF National Publicity Secretary, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, dismissed Ganduje’s stance as an attempt to promote loyalty to the presidency rather than uphold democratic choice.
“The presidency has become a sort of personality cult, demanding total allegiance. Those close to power may express such views, but they are not constitutionally binding,” Muhammad-Baba stated.
He emphasized that voters cannot be forced into political decisions, asserting that it is ultimately up to the people to accept, reject, or reshape Ganduje’s position.
“There’s nothing new in what Ganduje said. So many people have said so before. Not too long ago, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume said the same thing that northerners should forget about it until 2031.
“He or she or party members cannot influence voters by force. So, what he said was an opinion and his personal opinion and it’s up to the voters to endorse, reject or modify what he said. I think voters are becoming wise as to where the president comes from. In 2015, we were sold a dummy of anti-corruption.
“We were sold a dummy of many things and people have realized that it wasn’t true. Then, of course, the Renewed Hope came in 2023 and the hope is turning into a nightmare. What will sell President Bola Tinubu, I think and I hope, is not whether he will contest or not, it will be his policies and their impact on the people. If they buy it, fine,” he noted.
Former APC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Lukman, has expressed support for former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, during an interview with Punch.
He said, “El-Rufai is not saying anything different from what I have been saying all these while. The only difference is that he is talking for the North while I talk for the whole country.”
