Northern youth leaders have called on Vice President Kashim Shettima, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and other northern political stakeholders in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene over what they described as alleged marginalisation and exclusion of Arewa youths from political and youth leadership structures.

The call followed a joint stakeholders’ meeting involving leaders of the Northern Youth Solidarity for Good Governance, the Arewa Youth Assembly and the Arewa Democratic Youth Stakeholders Forum.

The participants expressed concerns over what they alleged was the growing exclusion of northern youths from leadership opportunities in youth-related organisations, political support groups and other structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

President of the Arewa Youth Assembly, Amb. Abdul Garba Danbature, urged the Arewa Democratic Youth Stakeholders Forum to establish a high-powered consultation committee to engage northern elders and political leaders serving in the Tinubu administration.

Danbature said such engagement was necessary to find a lasting solution to the concerns raised by northern youths and prevent the issue from affecting political mobilisation ahead of 2027.

He specifically identified Shettima, Ribadu, APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, among northern leaders who could help address the concerns.

According to him, the intervention of northern leaders was necessary to promote fairness and equitable representation of Arewa youths in government, ruling party affairs, student affairs and youth organisations.

The meeting also featured allegations concerning the political activities and influence of Seyi Tinubu, son of the President.

The allegations were made by the youth leaders and could not be independently verified.

Secretary-General of the Arewa Youth Solidarity for Good Governance, Hon. Iliya Baban Yawo, alleged that Seyi Tinubu had influenced or played a role in the emergence of individuals from the South-West in some youth-related political and government positions.

He also alleged that northern youths had been disadvantaged in accessing leadership opportunities in youth organisations.

Baban Yawo criticised what he described as an alleged recommendation of only two youth movements for APC and presidential mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 election.

He identified the City Boy Movement and the Relax, Tinubu is Fixing Nigeria Movement, claiming that northern support groups were expected to liaise with the organisations.

The claims were not independently established. Baban Yawo argued that northern youths should be allowed to participate in political mobilisation on an equal basis with their counterparts from other parts of the country.

He warned that perceived exclusion could create disaffection among northern youths and potentially affect mobilisation for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He also commended the Arewa Democratic Youth Stakeholders Forum for directing northern youths to reconsider appointments and partnerships with the two support groups.

According to him, northern APC support groups and Tinubu/Shettima support organisations should be allowed to operate independently while maintaining coordination with the broader presidential campaign structure.

Baban Yawo said his organisation had been advocating for greater inclusion of northern youths in the Federal Government for more than a year.

He claimed that the advocacy contributed to the appointment of a Minister of State for Youth Development, which he described as an avenue for greater northern representation in the Federal Executive Council.

He said the issue was not opposition to President Tinubu but a demand for what he described as fairness and inclusion for northern youths.

Baban Yawo further alleged that some youth-related appointments and leadership positions had disproportionately gone to people from the South-West.

He mentioned positions in youth organisations, student affairs and political mobilisation structures while calling for a more inclusive approach.

He also criticised what he described as an alleged regional imbalance within some political support structures.

According to him, a national political movement should reflect Nigeria’s diversity and provide opportunities for young people from different regions to participate meaningfully.

He appealed to President Tinubu to address the grievances before they become a bigger political issue ahead of the 2027 election.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Arewa Democratic Youth Stakeholders Forum said it would engage northern elders and political stakeholders on the concerns.

Speaking on behalf of the Forum, Hon. Haruna Sardauna welcomed the participating youth leaders and called for unity among northern youth organisations.

Sardauna said the concerns should be addressed through dialogue and collective engagement rather than division among northern youths.

He directed the Forum’s Organising Secretary, Hon. Bello Shehu Funtua, to establish a high-powered engagement committee to consult northern elders and political stakeholders.

He said the committee would engage relevant leaders over the allegations of marginalisation and seek their intervention in promoting greater inclusion for northern youths.

Sardauna disclosed that the Forum had received reports and data from APC support group leaders in the North-Central through Mallam Idiriss Jibrin, adding that similar engagements were ongoing in the North-East and North-West.

He said the Forum would continue to monitor the situation and encourage northern support groups to develop structures that would allow them to participate independently in political mobilisation.

Sardauna maintained that northern youth organisations should have the freedom to organise and mobilise for President Tinubu’s re-election while also ensuring that their interests were adequately represented.

The Forum said its objective was not to undermine the administration but to promote what it described as fairness, equal opportunity and inclusion for Arewa youths.

The stakeholders argued that northern youths constitute a significant component of Nigeria’s political population and should not be excluded from decision-making processes involving youth and political mobilisation.

They therefore urged Shettima, Ribadu, other northern elders and political leaders in the Tinubu administration to urgently wade into the matter.

They said early intervention would help prevent the grievances from escalating and ensure that concerns about regional representation did not undermine political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.

The youth leaders stressed that equitable participation, according to them, would strengthen unity within the governing political structure and encourage greater youth participation in the democratic process.

The allegations concerning Seyi Tinubu and the named support groups remain claims by the participating northern youth organisations and were not independently verified. Seyi Tinubu and the organisations mentioned were not represented in the account of the meeting and their responses to the allegations were not included.