News
2027: North rules out Tinubu, says policies on economy highly disappointing
The National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Prof. Tukur Mohammed-Baba, has said President Bola Tinubu has lost considerable political goodwill in Northern Nigeria since the 2023 general election, citing worsening economic conditions and insecurity.
Mohammed-Baba made the remarks during an interview on PrimeTime on Arise Television on Monday, where he criticised the country’s political leadership and expressed disappointment over the lack of clear policy direction from major political actors ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, the North has become increasingly disillusioned with the political class, which he accused of prioritising personal ambitions over the welfare of citizens.
“I have not seen a party that articulates a clear policy ambition or an ideological standard. The average northern voter is disillusioned and has been for a long time,” he said.
“We have tried all kinds of permutations—northern candidates, Muslim-Muslim tickets, and so on. It seems to the average northerner that all this politics is about personalities and personal interests. It is not about people.”
Assessing Tinubu’s administration, Mohammed-Baba said the impact of government policies had been difficult for many Nigerians.
“The impact of his policies on the economy and especially on individual lives has been highly disappointing, if not disturbing,” he said.
He also expressed concern over the security situation across parts of the country, arguing that the government’s response had fallen short of expectations.
“Furthermore, the insecurity thing, no matter what the government says, is getting worse,” he said, noting that discussions around the deployment of forest guards had come only after renewed attacks in parts of the country.
Mohammed-Baba warned that communities increasingly resorting to self-help in the face of insecurity posed a threat to the authority of the state.
“We are gradually normalising self-help—that unless you do something, the government will not be there to protect you. That undermines the essence of the role of the state,” he stated.
The ACF spokesman also criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a “recurring decimal” in Nigeria’s presidential politics.
“I don’t see anything from him that presents an alternative apart from saying this government has failed,” Mohammed-Baba said. “Where is the beef?”
On Peter Obi, he argued that the former Anambra State governor had failed to sustain whatever political goodwill he enjoyed in the North before the 2023 elections.
“He has moved to two or three parties. The question we ask is: what does he want?” he said.
Mohammed-Baba further criticised Obi’s running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, over comments he said appeared to compare himself with revered northern figures such as Ahmadu Bello and Aminu Kano.
“In the North, that is very irreverent. It would be highly delusional for him to go that far and say he presents an alternative,” he said.
“An alternative in terms of what? Has he articulated anything on the economy, security, or infrastructure? When you keep talking about things in abstract terms that run counter-intuitive to what the people have held on to, you will run into trouble.”
Asked to identify a potential presidential aspirant capable of winning northern support ahead of 2027, Mohammed-Baba declined to endorse anyone.
“We are waiting to see,” he said.
He also cautioned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against complacency, warning that attempts to weaken opposition parties through defections and legal battles could backfire.
“Nothing fails like success. Be very careful, because sometimes complacency can spring surprises,” he said.
Mohammed-Baba rejected suggestions that the North remained a unified voting bloc capable of determining election outcomes on its own.
“No one region can determine on its own the outcome of a presidential election, and the North has never been able to do so alone, outside of military rule,” he said.
With rising fuel prices, increasing numbers of out-of-school children and persistent attacks by bandits in parts of the North-West, Mohammed-Baba maintained that Nigerians were searching for leaders with practical solutions to the country’s challenges.
“Is there anybody offering an alternative now?” he asked. “I don’t see anything.”