2027: Tinubu Moves to Consolidate Northern Votes as Governors Mobilise
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election campaign is gathering momentum in Northern Nigeria as governors, ministers and influential political stakeholders intensify efforts to build a formidable grassroots structure ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The latest political push came at a high-level gathering in Kaduna, where prominent figures from across the North converged to mobilise support for Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani.
The meeting, held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Conference Centre, brought together stakeholders connected with the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, signalling an early attempt to consolidate political support for the President across the region.
The engagement was organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Masari, and involved delegates of the Northern Nigerian Women Ulama.
Among the governors at the gathering were Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Babagana Zulum of Borno State and host Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State.
Senior members of the Federal Executive Council were also represented, including Defence Minister Bello Matawalle and other government officials.
Beyond the presence of political heavyweights, the Kaduna gathering demonstrated a deliberate shift towards grassroots mobilisation as political activities intensify ahead of 2027.
Governor Sani urged supporters of the President to take the campaign beyond political meetings and extend their mobilisation to wards and local government areas throughout Northern Nigeria.
He argued that support for Tinubu should be anchored on the Federal Government’s interventions in education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture and skills development rather than sectional considerations.
Sani particularly cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, programme as examples of initiatives from which he said Northern Nigeria had benefited significantly.
According to the governor, available figures indicate that the North accounts for more than 60 per cent of beneficiaries under the NELFUND and TVET initiatives.
He maintained that such interventions demonstrate Tinubu’s commitment to governing without discrimination among Nigeria’s regions.
The Kaduna governor also challenged attempts to frame the 2027 presidential contest strictly along North-South lines, arguing that voters should assess candidates on their records, policies and capacity to deliver development.
The development could prove significant as political forces begin positioning themselves for what is expected to be a fiercely contested presidential election.
Northern Nigeria remains strategically important to the calculations of the major political parties because of its large voting population and the decisive role the region has historically played in presidential elections.
The decision by governors and senior federal officials to begin ward- and local government-level mobilisation therefore suggests that Tinubu’s supporters are moving beyond elite endorsements towards building an organised grassroots network.
With opposition figures also stepping up consultations and campaigns across the country, the battle for Northern votes could emerge as one of the defining fronts of the 2027 presidential election.
For Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, the challenge will ultimately be whether endorsements by governors and political leaders can be translated into votes at polling units across the region.
