2027: North-Central group backs Tinubu for second term, says re-election ‘done deal’

A political advocacy group, the North Central Agenda (NCA), has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office ahead of the 2027 presidential election, declaring that his re-election in the North-Central geopolitical zone is already a “done deal” based on what it described as the administration’s achievements in infrastructure, security, education and economic development.

The endorsement was announced during a one-day conference on the development of the North-Central under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, attended by delegates from Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), alongside government officials, political stakeholders and supporters of the administration.

Speaking at the event in Abuja, the Convener of the North Central Agenda, Dr. Ene Lilian Ogbole, said the Tinubu administration has reversed years of neglect by implementing projects and policies aimed at transforming the region.

According to her, before President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the North-Central was grappling with deteriorating infrastructure, worsening insecurity and declining economic opportunities. She, however, said the administration has demonstrated the political will to address those challenges through targeted investments and reforms.

Ogbole highlighted several ongoing federal infrastructure projects across the region, including the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Kogi–Nasarawa–Abuja Super Highway, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Maiduguri Highway, the Suleja–Minna Dual Carriageway, the Lokoja–Okene Dualisation Project, and the Makurdi–Aliade–Otukpo Road.

She said the projects are expected to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce transportation costs and stimulate economic activities across the North-Central and other parts of the country.

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The NCA convener also commended the Federal Government’s interventions in the education sector, particularly increased funding through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the implementation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides financial support for eligible students in tertiary institutions.

She further praised the administration’s security efforts, saying intensified military operations against banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities have enabled many farmers to return to their farmlands while businesses gradually resume operations in previously affected communities.

Describing the North-Central as a strategic political bloc, Ogbole said the equitable spread of federal projects across the region has changed public perception of the Tinubu administration.

She pledged that the organisation would embark on extensive mobilisation campaigns across the six North-Central states and the FCT ahead of the 2027 elections.

“For us as the mouthpiece of the North Central people, this re-election is a done deal as we will stop at nothing within the confines of the law to ensure that his victory is secured,” she said.

Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the conference, his Senior Assistant (Technical), Prof. Babatunde Bolaji Benard, said President Tinubu is laying the foundation for Nigeria’s long-term economic growth through bold reforms and strategic infrastructure investments.

He acknowledged that some of the administration’s economic policies may take time to produce visible results but argued that they are necessary for sustainable national development.

Benard described the NELFUND Student Loan Scheme as one of the government’s landmark achievements, noting that it has expanded access to higher education for many Nigerian students.

He also highlighted the economic importance of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, explaining that the project will include 32 dams to support irrigation, agriculture, water supply and industrial development.

According to him, such infrastructure projects are designed not only to improve transportation but also to unlock long-term economic opportunities and create jobs.

In his goodwill message, APC chieftain from Benue State, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, commended President Tinubu for strengthening security in the state, supporting development projects and working closely with Governor Hyacinth Alia.

He expressed confidence that the President would enjoy overwhelming support in Benue State during the 2027 election.

Meanwhile, supporters of President Tinubu dismissed renewed criticism of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who recently argued that the issue would remain relevant in the next presidential election.

Responding to the comments, the Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), Dr. Umar Tanko Yakasai, said Nigerians had already settled the issue during the 2023 general election by electing Tinubu as President.

Yakasai maintained that the administration has demonstrated inclusiveness through appointments across different geopolitical zones, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.

He cited appointments involving North-Central indigenes and other regions as evidence of balanced representation, dismissing claims that the administration has concentrated key positions in any particular part of the country.

The endorsement comes amid increasing political consultations and alignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with various political groups and stakeholders beginning to declare their positions well before party primaries.

Although President Tinubu has not formally declared his intention to seek re-election, endorsements from support groups have continued to gather momentum as political activities gradually intensify across the country.

Political analysts, however, note that while endorsements by advocacy groups may influence public discourse, the outcome of the 2027 presidential election will ultimately depend on party primaries, campaign issues, voter participation and the electorate’s assessment of the administration’s performance.

2027: North-Central group backs Tinubu for second term, says re-election ‘done deal’

2027: We Have Written Agreement Obi Will Serve Only One Term — Kwankwaso

• NDC vice-presidential candidate confirms power-sharing pact with Peter Obi, says presidency will return to North in 2031

LAGOS, Nigeria – The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has confirmed that he and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, signed a written agreement committing Obi to serve only one four-year term if elected president in 2027.

Kwankwaso disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, where he responded to questions about Obi’s repeated pledge to spend only one term in office. According to him, the agreement provides that power will return to the North after a single four-year tenure of Obi. On whether he believed Obi would honour the agreement, the former Kano State governor said he had no reason to doubt the former Anambra State governor. “Oh yes, I personally believe him and I don’t think, based on what I now know about him, he will change his mind when the time comes, and we are all gentlemen, even though we have accepted to put it on paper.”

While reiterating that the agreement signed by both of them was sacrosanct, Kwankwaso also said they equally signed a separate agreement with the party on the issue. “We have done one for the party, and we have done another one between the two of us.” Explaining the contents of the agreement, he said: “The agreement is what you said, that after four years we will work together, team together as a group, as a party, as friends, brothers and so on so that after his term, or our term, of four years, 2027 to 2031, then it comes back to the North, and that is the general agreement.”

On why he accepted the vice-presidential slot, despite previously pursuing the presidency, Kwankwaso said the current political circumstances supported a four-year southern presidency before power returns to the North. “Together we felt that the presidency should go to the South for four years; thereafter it will come back to the North. We believe that should be the consensus of everybody in this country, so we can move together as a family, both North and South.” When asked if he planned to contest the presidency in 2031, Kwankwaso said the party was focused on its immediate objective while keeping future plans in view. “We have a short-term plan which we are executing now and, of course, we also have our medium- and long-term plans for the country, and that is what we are working on now.”

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The NDC vice-presidential candidate also revealed that before the 2023 elections, representatives of the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) constituted a joint committee to examine the manifestos and political direction of both parties. He said the committee concluded that both leaders shared similar visions for Nigeria and recommended closer collaboration after the election. “When we compared our blueprint, mine and his, we realised that we have a similar vision and mission for the country. That was why it was very easy for us to agree to work together as a family.” Kwankwaso said the proposed alliance would prioritise tackling insecurity, reviving the economy, rebuilding infrastructure, and improving education, describing insecurity as Nigeria’s most pressing challenge. “Our first priority is insecurity. We also have to address the economy, infrastructure, and education because no country can develop without providing quality education for its citizens.”

Kwankwaso also shared that his assessment of Obi had changed since the 2023 elections, noting that he now considers the former Anambra governor a dependable leader. “I now know that Peter is a very serious politician; he has this country in mind. He is someone to be relied on,” Kwankwaso said.

Recall that Peter Obi had repeatedly declared he would serve only one term of four years if elected president in 2027. “I want to be a one-term president because of stability. I would not stay a day, with a gun to my head, longer than four years,” Obi had said. Obi has noted that his one-term pledge is rooted in his commitment to the country’s zoning principle rather than a desire to remain in office for the constitutionally permitted two terms. His declaration had drawn criticism from opposition political parties, which argued that the NDC presidential candidate would not keep his promise if elected president in 2027. However, with Kwankwaso’s latest confirmation, the one-term commitment is now formally documented as part of a written political agreement between the NDC leadership and its presidential and vice-presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 general election.

2027: We Have Written Agreement Obi Will Serve Only One Term — Kwankwaso

APC Chieftain Tells Atiku to Quit 2027 Race, Citing His Past Stance on Zoning

Osita Okechukwu, a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, arguing that his ambition violates Nigeria’s zoning arrangement and reminding him of his past criticism of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s automatic ticket bid.

Okechukwu, a former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), made the appeal while reacting to comments by the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum (SPPA), which had advised Atiku to carefully consider his choice of running mate ahead of the 2027 general election. Rejecting the group’s position, Okechukwu argued that the focus should not be on Atiku’s running mate but on preserving the zoning principle, which he said has helped maintain political balance and national unity. According to Okechukwu, pressure from groups promoting Atiku’s ambition contributed to the crisis that weakened the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “It was pressure from self-serving groups such as the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum that goaded His Excellency Atiku Abubakar to abandon the rotation convention, which led to our sister political party, PDP’s destabilisation,” he said.

The APC chieftain reminded Atiku of comments he made during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan when he defended the zoning principle within the PDP. In 2013, Atiku had strongly opposed a proposal by the PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Tony Anenih, to grant President Jonathan an automatic ticket for the 2015 election. Atiku had described the proposal as a “travesty of democracy” and insisted that the contest should be open to all party members. “My position remains that as far as PDP Constitution is concerned, any attempt to change the party’s rule to favour the President as a sole candidate in the event of his willingness to re-contest is unconstitutional,” Atiku had stated. Okechukwu argued that since Atiku had benefited from the zoning arrangement in the past – having served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 – he should remain committed to the principle. “As a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement, Atiku should uphold the principle and support its continued application in the interest of national cohesion, equity, and political stability,” Okechukwu stated.

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The call comes as Atiku prepares for what would be his seventh presidential bid, making him one of Nigeria’s longest-serving presidential contenders. He first contested for the presidency under the Action Congress (AC) in 2007, sought but failed to secure the PDP presidential ticket in 2011, lost the APC presidential primary before the 2015 election, and later emerged as the PDP’s presidential candidate in both the 2019 and 2023 elections. In the 2019 election, Atiku was defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Four years later, he mounted another strong challenge but lost to President Bola Tinubu in one of Nigeria’s closest presidential contests. Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes, while Atiku secured 6,984,520 votes and Peter Obi received 6,101,533 votes, making the 2023 election a tightly contested three-way race.

Atiku has since emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election after defeating former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen during the party’s presidential primary in May. Following the primary, Amaechi was named as Atiku’s running mate ahead of the election. The 2027 presidential election has been scheduled for January 16, having been advanced from the previously announced date of February 20. President Bola Tinubu is expected to seek a second term on the platform of the APC, while Peter Obi is contesting on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Asked whether it was too late for Atiku to withdraw from the race, Okechukwu insisted that the former vice president still had time to change course. “It is never too late to make amends; he should be a statesman, and instead of hurling blame and barbs at President Tinubu, he should use the few months left to forge a strong opposition,” he said. The appeal aligns with similar statements from other political figures. Former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje has declared that Atiku lacks the grassroots political structures in Northern Nigeria to defeat President Tinubu in 2027. Okechukwu himself had earlier described Atiku’s 2027 presidential ambition as a “mirage” in the face of Nigeria’s entrenched North-South zoning arrangement. “Zoning remains the irreducible minimum in Nigeria’s power-sharing formula. No amount of foreign image laundering can override a deeply rooted domestic consensus built on equity, fairness, and national cohesion,” he had said.

APC Chieftain Tells Atiku to Quit 2027 Race, Citing His Past Stance on Zoning