“Northern Leaders Reject Ganduje’s 2031 Presidency Call, Demand Fairness for 2027 Election”

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and other prominent northern figures have firmly rejected the recent suggestion by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, for the North to wait until 2031 before contesting the presidency. The northern leaders have expressed that they will not be coerced into re-electing President Bola Tinubu in 2027, asserting their right to a fair and democratic process.

Ganduje made the call during a meeting with a delegation from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre and the Tinubu Northern Youth Forum at the APC national secretariat in Abuja. He argued that since a northern president, Muhammadu Buhari, had completed two terms, fairness should require Tinubu to also serve two full terms.

However, the ACF and other key northern political figures strongly opposed Ganduje’s stance. In a statement to journalists, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, described Ganduje’s comments as reflecting a “cult-like” approach to the presidency, where total allegiance is expected. He emphasized that voters cannot and should not be coerced into voting, noting that it is up to the electorate to endorse, reject, or modify any candidate.

Muhammad-Baba pointed out that in 2015, the Northern electorate was swayed by promises of anti-corruption and other reforms, which, in hindsight, many believe were deceptive. “In 2023, we were promised a Renewed Hope, and now that hope is turning into a nightmare,” he added, reflecting disillusionment with current political promises.

Additionally, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai echoed concerns over Tinubu’s presidency, casting doubt on the president’s ability to win in 2027. El-Rufai shared a post on his verified X handle titled “2027: South West, Tinubu’s supporters playing with fire – Part 1,” where he suggested that Tinubu’s relationship with the North had already soured less than two years into his term. He warned that the president could face a fate similar to that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who lost his re-election bid in 2015.

As tensions rise within the APC, it remains to be seen how the North’s opposition to Ganduje’s proposal will shape the upcoming 2027 election race.