Politics

2027: Northern Lecturers Back Tinubu, ASUU Disowns Endorsement

Published

3 weeks ago

September 14, 2026

2027: Northern Lecturers Back Tinubu, ASUU Disowns Endorsement

More than 600 senior academics from public universities across Northern Nigeria have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election, triggering an immediate reaction from the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

The lecturers announced their support at a stakeholders’ engagement convened by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, in Kaduna State.

The meeting, held behind closed doors at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Centre, brought together senior academics and political leaders to assess the performance of the Tinubu administration and discuss the political road to 2027.

The gathering was attended by several prominent political figures, including Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni; Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; and Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya.

Also present were the Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of Housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma; and former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari.

Although journalists were initially barred from the meeting, they were later allowed to witness the presentation of the communiqué issued at the end of the deliberations.

Lecturers declare support for Tinubu

Reading the communiqué, the Vice Chancellor of Kaduna State University, Prof Abdullahi Ibrahim Musa, said the academics had critically examined the performance of the Tinubu administration since its assumption of office in May 2023.

They assessed the economy, security, education, infrastructure and social conditions, with particular attention to the challenges confronting Northern Nigeria.

According to the academics, Tinubu inherited an economy suffering from fiscal, monetary and structural challenges, alongside insecurity, infrastructure deficits and gaps in human capital development.

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They also acknowledged that some of the Federal Government’s economic reforms had imposed significant hardship on Nigerians through increased living and transportation costs and inflationary pressures.

However, they argued that the reforms had also improved government revenue and public finance.

The academics listed education financing, agriculture, infrastructure, business support, compressed natural gas, investment and the digital economy among areas where they believed the administration had recorded progress.

After their deliberations, the lecturers declared their support for Tinubu’s re-election.

“We resolved to express our support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in the 2027 presidential election,” they stated.

‘Our support is not a blank cheque’

Despite endorsing the President, the academics warned that their support should not be interpreted as unconditional.

The lecturers urged the Federal Government to listen to Nigerians, respond to legitimate criticism and urgently address the rising cost of food and transportation, unemployment and insecurity.

“Our support should not be interpreted as a blank check,” they said.

They also called for a more comprehensive approach to tackling insecurity, combining military operations with intelligence gathering, effective policing, community engagement and the creation of economic opportunities.

The academics further demanded increased government investment in agriculture, education, healthcare, roads, electricity, irrigation and other critical infrastructure across Northern Nigeria.

ASUU distances itself

But the endorsement quickly ran into opposition from ASUU, which distanced itself from the declaration and reaffirmed its long-standing position as an apolitical union.

ASUU President, Prof Chris Piwuna, said individual members of the union were free to belong to political parties and participate in politics in their personal capacities, but stressed that such activities must not be presented as the position of ASUU.

Piwuna maintained that the union had never endorsed a political party or presidential candidate and would not do so.

He warned members against dragging the union into the controversy, insisting that ASUU remained committed to its apolitical status.

The ASUU president also described it as misleading to automatically associate political activities undertaken by lecturers, vice-chancellors or other academics with the union.

According to him, individual academics can exercise their constitutional rights, but ASUU cannot be presented as having endorsed any candidate.

‘The meeting was for mobilisation’

The controversy has been heightened by the stated objective of the Kaduna meeting.

An invitation letter for the event described it as an interactive session involving senior academics from Northern Nigeria and selected government officials.

The theme was “Consolidating the Renewed Hope Agenda: Three Years of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Achievements and the Road to 2027.”

The letter said the meeting was designed not only to assess the administration’s performance in the economy, security, education, infrastructure and social welfare, but also to secure the endorsement and active support of academics for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

It reportedly stated that the purpose of the gathering was “not open-ended debate but mobilisation.”

Attendance was said to be voluntary, with the organisers encouraging academics who were favourably disposed towards the objective of the gathering to participate.

Reports also indicated that logistics and transportation arrangements were made for participants, although claims about reimbursement and the amount allegedly received by individual participants could not be independently verified.

Northern universities represented

Sources at the meeting said most public universities across the 19 northern states were represented.

Academics from the three northern geopolitical zones were reportedly given opportunities to address the gathering.

Prof Musa spoke on behalf of academics from the North-West, while the Chief Librarian of the Federal University Lafia, Prof Abdulrazaq Baba Abdulrahman, represented the North-Central zone.

A representative of the Federal College of Agriculture, Gwoza, spoke for the North-East.

Professor Mohammed Umar Sanda of the Federal University Dutsinma was also said to have attended.

However, Prof Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi of Bayero University, Kano, whose name was mentioned as one of those present, reportedly denied attending the meeting, saying he was not even aware of the gathering.

Masari urges academics to join politics

Speaking at the event, Masari urged academics to become more involved in determining the country’s political direction rather than remaining on the sidelines and merely criticising government policies.

He argued that the Tinubu administration’s achievements in the education sector should encourage academics to participate actively in the political process.

The engagement is part of wider political consultations as the Tinubu camp intensifies efforts to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The latest development also comes amid a series of endorsements and political consultations involving groups across the country.

2027 battle gathers momentum

With the 2027 presidential election drawing closer, political activities are increasingly taking centre stage, with the Tinubu camp targeting influential groups and constituencies for support.

The Northern lecturers’ endorsement is therefore likely to generate further political debate, particularly because of the high-profile academic figures reportedly involved and ASUU’s swift rejection of any attempt to associate the union with the declaration.

While the academics say their endorsement followed an assessment of Tinubu’s performance, ASUU’s position makes it clear that the declaration cannot be treated as an endorsement by the union itself.

The development has opened yet another front in the emerging 2027 political battle, with Tinubu’s supporters pushing for continuity and opponents expected to scrutinise both the administration’s record and the growing campaign for his second term.

2027: Northern Lecturers Back Tinubu, ASUU Disowns Endorsement

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2027: Ajaero Questions Tinubu, Atiku, Obi’s Economic Approach, Highlights Adebayo’s Ideas

Published

14 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero

2027: Ajaero Questions Tinubu, Atiku, Obi’s Economic Approach, Highlights Adebayo’s Ideas

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has questioned the economic positions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, while saying the ideas of Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo deserve serious attention ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Ajaero made the comments during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Mic On, where he was asked about the economic policies of Atiku and other leading figures in the 2027 race.

Rather than focusing solely on Atiku’s economic proposals, the NLC president highlighted the positions of Adebayo and Accord Party presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, saying he had examined their ideas and was willing to listen to them.

“I have looked at Gbenga Hashim’s position and I think he’s an expert to an extent. I also looked at Adebayo. I may listen to them,” Ajaero said.

He subsequently contrasted the economic approaches of Adebayo and Olawepo-Hashim with those of Tinubu, Atiku and Obi.

“Peter Obi, Atiku and Asiwaju, they all have the same position and they have shown that they are market people from far right,” he said.

Ajaero’s remarks have drawn attention to the economic debate ahead of the 2027 election, particularly as issues such as inflation, fuel prices, electricity costs, unemployment, wages and declining purchasing power remain major concerns for Nigerians.

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Adebayo, who is contesting the 2027 presidency on the SDP platform, has built his campaign around social democracy, increased domestic production, job creation and a stronger role for government in providing public services and expanding economic opportunities.

The SDP candidate has also made energy reform a major part of his campaign, arguing that high energy costs and inadequate electricity supply continue to constrain households, businesses and industrial production.

His policy blueprint, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity: Governance & Accelerated Development — Blueprint of a New Nigeria, 2027–2031, proposes mechanisms for monitoring government performance through measurable targets, periodic assessments and implementation milestones.

Adebayo has also advocated greater emphasis on domestic production, with the argument that Nigeria must reduce its dependence on imports and foreign exchange while strengthening local industries and productive capacity.

Olawepo-Hashim, whom Ajaero also mentioned, has similarly made energy and industrialisation central to his economic programme. His proposed Energy First agenda focuses on increasing domestic energy production, expanding refining capacity and reducing energy costs.

Ajaero’s comments do not amount to a formal endorsement of Adebayo or Olawepo-Hashim for the 2027 presidential election. Rather, the NLC president said their economic proposals were sufficiently different from those of the politicians he discussed to warrant further engagement.

The intervention comes as political parties and presidential candidates increasingly position their economic policies at the centre of the 2027 campaign, with competing proposals on fuel pricing, taxation, electricity, wages, industrialisation, employment and social protection.

For the NLC, which represents organised labour and has been at the forefront of debates over wages and the impact of economic reforms on workers, the direction of the next administration’s economic policy is expected to remain a major issue ahead of the election.

With the 2027 political contest gathering momentum, the competing economic visions of the presidential candidates are likely to face increased scrutiny from organised labour, businesses and voters as parties intensify their campaigns.

2027: Ajaero Questions Tinubu, Atiku, Obi’s Economic Approach, Highlights Adebayo’s Ideas

Politics

2027: Soludo Govt Accuses Peter Obi Of Plot To Destroy APGA

Published

19 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

2027: Soludo Govt Accuses Peter Obi Of Plot To Destroy APGA

The Anambra State Government has declared former governor Peter Obi and his Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) a threat to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of the 2027 presidential election, urging APGA supporters to resist the opposition party.

The state government made the declaration in a message issued through its New Media office on Monday, accusing Obi of working to weaken the party that gave him the platform to become governor of Anambra.

The government described its message as a “betrayal alert” to APGA supporters, alleging that Obi had been seeking to undermine the party since leaving it in 2014.

It urged party members in the state not to be swayed by Obi’s current political influence, arguing that APGA remained the political platform responsible for his emergence as governor.

The government said, “Since 2014, Obi has had one mission: to destroy the party that made him,” while calling on APGA members to defend the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development comes amid an increasingly tense political relationship between Obi and the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

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Obi governed Anambra from 2006 to 2014 on the APGA platform before leaving the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He later joined the Labour Party, under which he contested the 2023 presidential election, before becoming the presidential candidate of the NDC ahead of the 2027 election.

The former governor remains an influential political figure in the South-East, particularly in Anambra, where his 2023 presidential campaign recorded strong support.

The Anambra government’s latest position also comes against the backdrop of APGA’s alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The state government has previously defended its relationship with the President and maintained that supporting Tinubu does not conflict with APGA’s interests.

However, Obi’s emergence as the NDC presidential candidate has created a new political challenge for APGA, particularly because of his longstanding influence among voters in Anambra and the wider South-East.

The NDC has rejected the allegations against Obi, accusing the Soludo administration of attacking the former governor because of concerns about his popularity.

NDC Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theo Abu Agada, described the state government’s position as political blackmail and maintained that the party was confident of its prospects in the 2027 election.

The latest exchange has further widened the political divide between the camps of Peter Obi and Chukwuma Soludo, with both sides increasingly positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.

For APGA, the emergence of Obi and the NDC presents a particularly sensitive political challenge because of the former governor’s history with the party and his continued influence in Anambra.

The 2027 election is therefore expected to produce a major political contest in the state, with APGA seeking to retain its influence while Obi’s NDC attempts to convert his personal support base into wider electoral backing.

2027: Soludo Govt Accuses Peter Obi Of Plot To Destroy APGA

Politics

Nine Zamfara Lawmakers Dump APC for ADC Ahead of 2027

Published

23 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Nine Zamfara Lawmakers Dump APC for ADC Ahead of 2027

Nine members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have left the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The lawmakers cited concerns over insecurity, internal party divisions and what they described as inadequate attention to the welfare of residents and their constituents as reasons for their decision.

The lawmakers are Aliyu Ango Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South; Muktar Nasir, representing Kaura Namoda North; Faruk Dosara Musa, representing Maradun I; Basiru Bello, representing Bungudu West; Bashir A. Masama, representing Bukkuyum North; Ibrahim T. Tukur, representing Bakura; Nasiru Abdullahi, representing Maru North; Yusuf Muhammad Anka, representing Anka; and Bashar Aliyu, representing Gummi I.

Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, Kagara said their concerns about the security situation in Zamfara had contributed to disagreements with the state government.

He said the lawmakers had raised the issue of insecurity on the floor of the Assembly, but that their position led to disagreements with Governor Dauda Lawal and their subsequent suspension.

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Kagara also alleged that joining the APC did not resolve their grievances, claiming that some party leaders failed to give them what they considered a fair hearing.

Earlier, some of the lawmakers announced their resignation from the APC in separate letters dated October 4, 2026.

In the letters, the lawmakers cited issues including insecurity, alleged injustice, internal divisions, uncertainty and concerns about governance.

One of the lawmakers also alleged that members of the Assembly had gone about 32 months without receiving salaries, allowances and other entitlements.

The claims about unpaid entitlements and other grievances are allegations by the affected lawmakers and have not been independently established in the reports.

The APC in Zamfara initially said it had not received official copies of the resignation letters. The party’s publicity secretary, Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, said the documents had been seen on social media and that the party was awaiting formal communication through the appropriate party structures.

The defection represents a significant political realignment in Zamfara ahead of the 2027 elections, with the movement of the lawmakers potentially affecting the political balance within the state legislature.