An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Dr Iliyasu Musa Kwankwaso, has dismissed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s prospects of winning northern votes through ethnic and regional sentiments in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that voters in the region are increasingly judging candidates by their performance and commitment to development.

Kwankwaso, Director of Finance at the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, said on Monday that northern voters could no longer be assumed to support a presidential candidate simply because of his ethnic identity or geographical origin.

“The North has no candidate for 2027 because the two candidates from the North are not of the people. Ethno-political card will not favour them,” he said.

He argued that governance, development and tangible benefits to ordinary citizens would play a greater role in determining voting decisions in the region than appeals to ethnic solidarity.

The APC chieftain also expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s prospects in the North, citing ongoing federal infrastructure projects as evidence of the administration’s commitment to the region.

According to him, the President has sustained inherited projects while initiating new ones, creating opportunities for residents to assess his administration based on its performance.

“Tinubu means well for the North, going by the ongoing trillion-naira projects in the region. He sustained and drew a lifeline for the completion of inherited projects and kick-started new ones,” Kwankwaso said.

He maintained that the projects had strengthened public confidence in the administration, although he did not identify the projects or provide figures to substantiate the claims.

“A common man in the North has come to realise real development under Tinubu. They have seen it, felt it and are convinced of Tinubu’s love for the region,” he said.

Kwankwaso urged northern voters to prioritise their economic and development interests when deciding which candidate to support in 2027, warning against allowing ethnic and regional considerations to overshadow governance and performance.

“The North has so many dividends to count under Tinubu than to gamble a golden opportunity,” he said.