Abdullahi Ganduje, immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said expectations that northern Nigeria will withhold support from President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election are misplaced.
Ganduje made the remarks in Abuja on Friday while receiving a delegation of northern youth leaders drawn from the 19 northern states. He said there was no alternative candidate from the south who could rival Tinubu beyond 2027.
“Those who think the north will vote for another candidate are making a big mistake,” Ganduje said, adding that Tinubu remained the strongest option for national leadership.
The former Kano governor described Tinubu as a rare example of a “core politician” whose life and career, he said, had been shaped by politics and commitment to Nigeria’s unity. He pointed to Tinubu’s role in the pro-democracy struggle, including a period of exile, as evidence of that commitment.
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Ganduje also referenced the power rotation arrangement that preceded the election of the late Muhammadu Buhari, under which the presidency was expected to return to the south after eight years. He said Tinubu had been in office for less than four years and had already embarked on wide-ranging reforms.
Among these, he highlighted the removal of fuel subsidy, describing it as a difficult decision avoided by previous governments and rival candidates in the 2023 election.
“Everyone promised to remove the subsidy, but nobody was bold enough to do it,” he said. “Asiwaju did it, and today governors across party lines are receiving more funds for development.”
He added that the policy was aimed at national economic recovery rather than partisan advantage.
Ganduje commended the youth leaders for mobilising political support and resources for Tinubu’s re-election campaign, describing their efforts as a strong show of commitment.
Speaking for the group, Murtala Gamji, its national leader, said members would mobilise support for Tinubu across northern states and raise funds to purchase his nomination form. He rejected claims that the north was opposed to Tinubu’s return bid.
“Nobody has supported the north the way Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has,” Gamji said.
The group also named Ganduje as grand patron of the Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders Forum.
