The North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum has backed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.
The APC Forum, in a statement released after a meeting in Abuja on Sunday, said the North-Central would stand behind the President in the 2027 presidential election.
The statement, signed by Chairman of the North-Central APC Forum, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, stressed that the Forum decided to endorse Tinubu for a second term because his administration had extended several opportunities to the North-Central zone since he assumed office as President in 2023.
DAILY POST reports that the development is coming on the heels of emerging opposition to Tinubu’s reelection by foremost northern socio-political body, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and its youth wing, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF.
In a recent communique signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF announced that it would support northerners running for the presidency in 2027.
Also, the AYCF, in a statement by its President, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, said the North regrets supporting Tinubu in the 2023 elections.
The group warned that the North might oppose Tinubu’s reelection bid in 2027 unless significant changes are made to improve the country’s socio-economic conditions.
However, the APC North-Central Forum, while endorsing Tinubu, said the zone had benefited immensely from Tinubu’s administration, especially in the areas of infrastructure, appointments and security.
The APC Forum declared that the North-Central has never had it so good under any administration, since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.
Parts of the statement read, “Rising from a meeting in Abuja during the weekend, the North-Central APC Forum has decided to endorse President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.
“After assessing the state of the nation, the North-Central APC Forum is of the view that President Bola Tinubu has done well to earn a second term in office.
“An assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s policies also shows that he is taking the country in the right direction and deserves the support of all Nigerians to get the country there.
“The Forum equally evaluated the programmes and initiatives of the Federal Government and it is evident that, since the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no other President has given the North-Central as many opportunities as much as President Bola Tinubu.
“No other President has brought as many infrastructural projects to the North-Central as the President Tinubu administration.
“If it is possible, we are also calling on the President to extend more developmental projects to the North-Central, while assuring him of our continued support and loyalty. We believe that President Tinubu will assent to the Bill for the establishment of North Central Development Commission (NCDC), when passed by the National Assembly.
“The current level of insecurity in the North-Central is less than what was obtainable during previous administrations. Before now, it was difficult for our people, who are mostly farmers, to go to their farms because of insecurity.
“But now, due to the leadership provided by Mr President who has given marching orders to the Armed Forces and other security agencies, the people can now go to farm to cultivate and harvest their crops.”
Continuing, the APC Forum expressed confidence in Tinubu’s ability to revamp Nigeria’s economy, noting that policies introduced by the President would eventually turn things around.
“The economic policies introduced by President Tinubu are already making the expected impact, with the recent strengthening of the Naira in the foreign exchange market, improvement in volume of oil production, and rise in foreign reserves, among others.
“President Tinubu’s policies in the petroleum sector have already eliminated scarcity, and we believe that, with time, Nigerians will witness reduction in the cost of petroleum products, which would reverse inflation in the county.
“The APC North-Central Forum believes President Bola Tinubu deserves a second term to midwife these reforms which are already bearing fruit, and we call on all Nigerians to support his administration to improve the situation in the country.
“After extensive considerations, North-Central APC Forum has given the President a passmark on insecurity, appointments, infrastructure, economy and other areas.
“We stand firmly behind President Tinubu as his bold leadership has brought significant progress to our region, and we believe he is the right person to continue leading Nigeria towards greater prosperity.
“We urge all Nigerians to rally behind the President and support him for a second term, to enable his administration to deepen the gains of his reform policies.
“Just as we worked for his election in 2023, the North-Central APC Forum assures President Tinubu and all his supporters that we will again work for his reelection in 2027.”
Two Plateau House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the Labour Party – Alfred Ajang Illiya and Daniel Chollom – recently defected to the APC.
The APC Forum said the development is an indication of the overwhelming support Tinubu enjoys in the North-Central.
“The recent defection of some members of the House of Representatives, elected on the platform of the Labour Party, LP, to our great party, the APC, in Plateau State, is a sign that President Tinubu is widely accepted in the North-Central.
“We expect more defections of lawmakers and other political office holders elected on the platform of other parties to the APC in the North-Central in the coming days.
“The North-Central APC Forum is assuring the President of the full support of the zone in all his policies and programmes, and we are backing him for a second term in 2027,” the group stated.