By Capital Watch Media
Pro-North socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and other prominent northern figures have dismissed a statement by the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, urging the North to wait until 2031 before contesting for the presidency.
Ganduje made the remark while receiving members of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre and Tinubu Northern Youth Forum at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.
He insisted that President Bola Tinubu should complete two terms before the presidency returns to the North.
“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,” Ganduje said.
“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 added.
However, ACF spokesperson, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, rejected Ganduje’s stance, saying it was an individual opinion that could not bind the North. He stressed that voters would decide their preferred candidate.
“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,” Muhammad-Baba stated.
“He or she or party members cannot influence voters by force. 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,” he added.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, also criticised the APC leadership, warning that Tinubu risked facing the same fate as former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
El-Rufai shared a social media post titled “2027: South West, Tinubu’s supporters playing with fire – Part 1,” which argued that Tinubu’s relationship with the North had worsened.
“The North is seriously mobilising with a consensus that Bola Tinubu must give way in the 2027 election. This is no doubt the consensus. There’s no argument about that,” former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, said.
“So, if we can get a good southerner that can rule with equity, we are okay. But we all agree that we must look for a substitute for Bola Tinubu,” he added.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, also distanced himself from Ganduje’s comments, insisting that he remained a viable candidate for the presidency in 2027.
Mohammed’s Commissioner for Natural Resources Development, Maiwada Bello, described Ganduje’s statement as misguided, saying, “The governor’s commitment to inclusive governance and youth empowerment shows he is the best candidate for 2027.”
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) also opposed Ganduje’s position. Its National Chairman, Falalu Bello, stated that the party would present a credible candidate in 2027.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not allow an eight-year term for a president but a four-year term. President Tinubu must seek another mandate from Nigerians in 2027,” he said.
Meanwhile, APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, dismissed claims that Tinubu’s administration had marginalised the North, describing them as “laughable.”
“The Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the national chairman of the party, the Vice President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Senate President, and key other positions are all occupied by northerners,” Basiru noted.
He accused El-Rufai of working with the opposition to discredit the APC-led government, stating, “We all know he is working together with Atiku. He should not divert from the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.”
Former PDP Publicity Secretary in Benue State, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, also criticised El-Rufai, saying, “He is only leading a crusade in the wrong direction.”
Political analysts have noted that the debate signals early preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with various interest groups positioning themselves ahead of the contest.
