Kaduna governor says North not marginalised under Tinubu
Arewa Unity Forum (AUF) has rejected ex-Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu’s statement that the South should be allowed to complete a second presidential term in 2027, describing the position as a personal opinion that does not reflect the collective stance of the North.
 
This was as a political activist and public affairs commentator, Mahdi Shehu, warned Nigerians that the 2027 election season would be full of danger, chaos and uncertainty. In a post shared on X yesterday, he described the political landscape as delicate, dicey, dark, dangerous and chaotic.
 
However, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, dismissed assertions that northern Nigeria is marginalised under the Bola Tinubu administration, urging regional leaders to redirect their energies towards human capital development, education, healthcare and economic empowerment.
 
In a statement entitled ‘Our North, Our Pride’ by its Chairman, Nasiru Dutsinma, AUF asserted that Aliyu’s statement contradicted the constitutional rights of the North to freely participate in the political process and elect candidates of their choice, regardless of any informal political arrangements.
 
The Forum criticised a “misguided political narrative” that misrepresents the interests and values of the North, warning that invoking regional unity to justify non-inclusive political deals is deceptive and dangerous.
  
“The AUF believes that the former governor’s support for zoning the presidency to the South in 2027 lacks constitutional basis and does not align with the legacy of the late Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, who stood for equity, justice and strong regional development,” the statement reads.
 
It also condemned what it described as the continued marginalisation of the North under the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, citing the prolonged delay in completing key infrastructure like the Abuja/Kaduna/Kano dual carriageway. It alleged that a company linked to President Tinubu’s son, Seyi, was recently awarded a contract for a portion of the road, further fuelling concerns over favouritism.
 
On the 2027 general elections, the AUF stated its firm intention to back a Northern presidential candidate, rejecting any pressure to support a Southern continuation in the name of party consensus or rotational arrangements not grounded in the Constitution.
 
Shehu said the mix of politicians involved in the 2027 contest would make the situation very tense.
  
“When characters with different histories, similar records, diverse views and unending appetite for power seek to dominate the political platform once again, one should expect a dangerous terrain,” he wrote.
 
He warned: “When sworn enemies and documented rivals bury their enmity and venom against each other for the sole aim of grabbing power in an already polarised polity, then one should expect nothing short of chaos.
  
“When characters, who had the opportunities in the past to make maximum use of power for the benefit of the citizenry, but failed to do that, descended into the political arena for selfish reasons, then expect more darkness in politics.”
 
The political battle, he added, will be delicate because many leaders keep recycling themselves in power at train, light, hurricane, plane or ship speeds, showing a strong desire to stay in control no matter what.
 
However, speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa over the weekend, Governor Sani insisted that “the North enjoys substantial representation” in key federal appointments, and that the prevailing narrative of exclusion was not supported by facts.
 
“We all agree that no zone in the North has been marginalised based on facts, data and statistics. But, of course, there’s been a lot of speculation,” he said.

“You cannot talk about marginalisation when you have both the Minister of Defence and the Minister of State for Defence from northern Nigeria. The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) and the Controller General of Immigration (CGI) are from the North. So, for me, that narrative doesn’t hold.”
 
He described the recent development summit in Kaduna as historic, noting that about 80 federal and regional stakeholders, including ministers, officials, academics, civil society actors, market women, youth groups and traditional rulers came together to interrogate the challenges facing the region.