- Aliyu: region’s elite to blame for woes
- ACF, NEF seek more federal support for infrastructure devt.
Prominent Northern politicians in Kaduna yesterday made a strong case for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and for power to remain in the South till 2031.
According to them, doing so will maintain the polity’s integrity and ensure continuous unity.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said the President runs a government that carries the people along, saying: “He governs with the people and not above them”.
Gombe State Governor and Chair of Northern Governors’ Forum, Inuwa Yahaya; Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq, and host Governor Uba Sani, similarly rallied support for the President.
They all spoke on the opening day of the Citizens Engagement Forum organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in the former Northern region’s capital.
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda said there is no vacancy in Aso Villa until 2031.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, said the South deserves to complete eight years.
According to him, “2027 should not be on the minds of politicians from the North”.
“This is to keep the nation united and allow the South to complete its second term,” he said.
He added that Northern politicians would be eligible to contest for the highest office after President Tinubu had completed his second term.
Akume, a former governor of Benue State and three-term senator, spoke on the Tinubu Administration’s focus on equitable development across the six regions.
The event has the theme: “Assessing electoral promises: fostering government-citizens’ engagement for national unity.”
Justifying the decision to support President Tinubu’s second term bid, Yahaya said he has kept his promises to the North.
He believes the North will support President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, stressing that he has lived up to expectations in infrastructure, security, agriculture and power.
Sani said the views of those saying that the North would not vote for the President do not reflect those of the region.
Some northern politicians, who had regressed into ethnic bullying, had attempted to disparage the Tinubu Administration, saying that the region is marginalised in the distribution of appointments and developmental projects.
The latest of such came from former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who said last week that President Tinubu had neglected the North in infrastructure provision.
‘North not neglected’
Akume was at the event with prominent northerners holding key appointments in the Tinubu government to debunk the allegation of neglect and marginalisation.
They included National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Service chiefs, ministers and heads of agencies.
Peeping at 2027, Akume said: “I will urge politicians from the Northern region to wait till 2031.
“Do not join a group that will stagnate the various developments achieved by President Tinubu.
“The President had positively touched all parts of the country and every citizen.
“The removal of fuel subsidy has now provided more funds to the government at the sub-national levels to carry out huge projects and deliver quality dividends of democracy.”
He added: “President Tinubu has appointed so many people from the Northern region to work with him, and they are doing well. The narrative that the North is not carried alone is not true.”
Akume listed the achievements of the administration, including tax reforms, job creation, local government autonomy, national security, improved transportation system, sports development, security and political stability.
‘No region would be left behind’
Akume explained that President Tinubu would ensure equitable development across the regions, adding that no zone would be left behind.
Noting that the Renewed Hope Agenda is being fully implemented, he said the administration has introduced reforms to stabilise and grow the economy, unify the exchange rate and restructure debt profiles.
Akume highlighted major projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto- Badagry super highway, ongoing rail projects (Kano-Maradi, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri), and housing initiatives.
He said: “The removal of fuel subsidy, though painful, has been a necessary reform that saved trillions of Naira. The Palliative Measures Plan and interventions through state governments, MSME support, and public transportation upgrades are mitigating the impacts.
“The savings are now being redirected into critical infrastructure and human development while states are receiving increased allocations for development.”
The SGF described the Renewed Hope Agenda as a pragmatic vision built on pillars of good governance, transparency, accountability, participation, responsiveness, equity, rule of law, and inclusivity.
He stressed: “The economic reform strategies are designed to create a robust, diversified, and resilient economy.
“By fostering an environment conducive to investment and innovation, the administration aims to stimulate growth across all sectors, reduce unemployment, and ensure equitable wealth distribution.
“Security is the bedrock of national development. The focus here is on enhancing the capabilities of our security forces, promoting peace and stability, and ensuring that every Nigerian feels safe and protected, no matter where they reside.
Akume said over 400,000 students in tertiary institutions have benefitted from the Student Loan Programme, pointing out that an estimated N53billion has been disbursed.
He called for patience and collective effort in achieving the agenda’s goals.
Akume extolled the virtues of former Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, describing him as a phenomenal being who promoted national cohesion and unity.
He also saluted the courage, sincerity and patriotism of other leaders, including Chief Solomon Lar, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Shehu Dan Musa, Abubakar Rimi, Prof Suleman Kumo, Issac Shaahu, and Prof Jerry Gana.
Tinubu govt is people-focused, says Shettima
Vice President Shettima, who was represented by Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of the Vice President), said President Tinubu has refused to govern Nigeria from a distance.
He said his policies and programmes are dictated by the wishes of Nigerians.
Shettima said: “President Tinubu is neither crafting policy in solitude nor assuming that technocracy alone delivers results. This administration is convening conversations and institutionalising listening.”
The Vice President said the Tinubu Administration was committed to building a “government with the people” rather than merely a “government of the people.”
On tax reforms, Shettima explained that the administration set up a Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform that engaged governors, private sector leaders, and ordinary citizens to ensure the process was both inclusive and responsive.
He said: “When objections arose from governors and citizens alike, the President did not dismiss them. He welcomed their candour and ensured tax bills passed through public hearings.
“Even unpopular taxes inherited from past regimes, like the 10 per cent single-use plastic levy and telecom tax, were suspended after critical review.”
On fuel subsidy removal, Shettima said: “We met with labour unions, not with threats, but with empathy.
“We offered palliative packages, increased wages, waived diesel taxes, and introduced alternatives like CNG buses to cushion transport costs. We were not merely reacting. We were responding.”
The Vice President said the Access to Higher Education Act was repealed and reenacted after wide consultation to remove income ceilings and guarantor requirements that had served as barriers for disadvantaged students.
He added: “No student should be disqualified for being born on the wrong side of poverty,” Shettima emphasised, reiterating the administration’s belief in education as a tool for social mobility.
Shettima said the administration has given priority to adaptability and empathy.
He said: “Governance is not a theatre of perfection but a process of correction. And a government that listens is a government that learns. And a government that learns is a government that leads.”
Tinubu has kept his promises, says NGF
Yahaya, who is the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), said President Tinubu has kept promises made in 2023.
He said: “The North’s partnership with President Tinubu’s administration has yielded concrete results, from infrastructure to security to governance.
“In 2027, we must reward performance and hard work, and by that measure, President Tinubu has earned our continued support.
“When candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu stood before us during the 2023 campaign, he made specific commitments to Northern Nigeria. The North, believing in President Tinubu’s vision, voted strongly for him, contributing to over 60 per cent of Tinubu’s winning votes.
“Today, we gather not for empty rhetoric, but to examine those promises and assess the level of progress so far.
“What we find is an administration that has delivered meaningful results for our region despite facing significant national challenges.
“This shows that our democracy can only work when leaders deliver on their promises, and leaders can only deliver when citizens are engaged, and policies and programmes are designed and implemented in ways that reflect the yearnings and aspirations of the citizen.”
Yahaya added: “I make bold to say that the evidence of progress is visible across our region. Thanks to Mr. President’s renewed hope agenda, many projects started by the previous administration are now racing towards completion.
“These include the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line, the rehabilitation of the Kaduna Refinery, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline project, and continuation of drilling activities in Kolmani Oilfields. “These projects promise to bring industrial growth and energy security to Northern Nigeria.
“New infrastructure projects are also coming up, including various inter-state road networks like the ambitious Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway that will connect Northern producers to southern markets.
“On the security front, we have witnessed significant progress.
“Through coordinated military operations and improved intelligence gathering, over 300 bandit kingpins and terrorist commanders have been eliminated, disrupting criminal networks that terrorised our communities.
“While challenges remain, the trajectory is clear – the siege on our people is being lifted.
Aso Villa not vacant in 2027, says Yilwatda
Yilwatda advised opposition parties to wake up from their dream of unseating President Tinubu, saying: “There is no vacancy in the Villa come 2027.”
He said the ruling party would dominate the next general election, leaving no room for any opposition party.
Yilwatda said: “Today, the child of the poorest man in Nigeria can now go to school to the peak without borrowing from anywhere. The government has made provision for that.
“This is the only time we’ve had that in the history of Nigeria. The government has dropped N1.5 billion in the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to support young men who want to go into agriculture.
“Never before have we had this opportunity. We have the youth fund being given to the youth.
“Never before has any government done this. And I can tell you that the opportunity for the young people is right under our president.
“Our manifesto targets people like you. The Renew Hope Agenda targets people like you.
“I look forward to working with you to ensure that 2027 will deliver the president, the governors, and the senators, House of Assemblies, and House of Representatives members.”
The leader of the delegation, Marlin Daniel, congratulated Yilwatda on his emergence as national chairman and expressed confidence in his capacity to reposition the party.
He said: “We know your contributions before you became a politician, and we know that you will deliver for this party. We want to thank you, appreciate you, and welcome you to your new office.”
Leaders liable for regions’ woes
Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu listed the challenges facing the North, saying the Tinubu Administration was not responsible for them.
Aliyu traced the woes to the North’s political and intellectual elite, whom he said must share in the blame.
He listed insurgency, banditry, poverty, out-of-school children, porous borders and youth unemployment as some of the core problems.
Aliyu said: “Our problems didn’t start today, and they weren’t caused solely by this government.
“Many of us who watched and did nothing must also bear the blame. We failed to act when it mattered most.
“There’s a communication vacuum between governments and the governed. That gap is breeding frustration and eroding public trust. This forum is a deliberate attempt to bridge that divide”.
He advocated institutionalised town hall-style meetings nationwide as an important way to end the problems.
“Let’s be clear: there’s a big difference between governance and partisanship.
“Governments must listen to the people, and citizens must be bold enough to speak up—with respect and clarity,” Aliyu advised.
The former governor reaffirmed the foundation’s non-partisan stance, stressing its commitment to promoting leadership rooted in justice, equity, and good governance.
He commended the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa (JMA) and Arewa House for consistently demanding accountability.
“Together, we must remind our leaders that if they escape accounting here, they won’t escape it in the hereafter,” he advised.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ACF, Bashir Dalhatu, urged President Tinubu to renew his commitment to Northern development, citing the region’s overwhelming support for him during the 2023 presidential election.
“Of the 8.8 million votes that brought this government to power, the North alone delivered 5.6 million.
“We believe the region has earned the right to benefit from the promises he made during the campaign period,” Dalhatu said.
He added that North’s leaders formally presented key expectations of the region to the President during a May 30, 2024, meeting.
Top among the demands are enhanced security, revived agriculture, improved education, and investment in energy and infrastructure.
Dalhatu acknowledged that such interventions take time but stressed the need for the Federal Government to begin reflecting North’s concerns more clearly in its policies and programmes.
“Our advocacy has been peaceful, respectful, and well-intentioned.
“We aim to support the President in delivering on his promises—especially to Northern communities still plagued by insecurity and poverty,” said the ACF board’s chairman.
He praised the foundation for sustaining dialogue and encouraging citizen-government engagements as a means of strengthening democracy.
NEF Chairman Ango Abdullahi called for a better federal focus on education and infrastructure in the North.
He lamented the region’s disproportionate share of the country’s estimated 20 million out-of-school children, saying the figure reflects structural failure over the years.
“If even half of the N15 trillion federal budget were channelled into education, we could build schools, train teachers, and drastically cut down the out-of-school population,” Abdullahi said.
He also criticised the state of road infrastructure in the Northeast, describing it as one of the worst in the country.
Abdullahi, who also urged fair representation in federal appointments, expressed concern over recent developments at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including the relocation of some departments to Lagos and what he described as lopsided leadership appointments.
He called for the strategic location of agro-allied industries in the North to reflect the region’s agricultural potential.
“If we truly want Nigeria to develop, then the North must be industrialised along its natural endowments,’’ the NEF boss said.
