Warning against early 2027 presidential contests, the Arewa Youth Assembly said President Bola Tinubu must complete an eight-year Southern tenure in the interest of national unity and continuity.
KADUNA, Nigeria – A strong political warning has been issued by the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), declaring that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure for the Southern region.
The group also cautioned northern politicians against contesting the 2027 presidential election, insisting that Nigeria’s zoning arrangement should be respected.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna, the Speaker of the assembly, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, said the position was necessary for national unity, cohesion and continuity of governance.
According to the group, northern political actors should refrain from presenting themselves as presidential candidates in 2027.
AYA recalled that no prominent Southerner seriously challenged former President Muhammadu Buhari during his tenure, allowing the North to complete its eight-year cycle in office.
It argued that it is now the turn of the South to complete its own tenure under Tinubu, adding that any move to disrupt the arrangement would face opposition.
The assembly said any Northerner seeking to contest in 2027 would be viewed as an enemy of fairness and of Northern youths.
Beyond zoning, the group praised the Tinubu administration’s economic, security and infrastructure reforms, saying they had produced visible results.
AYA claimed government policies had generated savings of between ₦4 trillion and ₦7 trillion annually, while exchange rate unification improved transparency and boosted external reserves.
It further stated that Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio had declined significantly, freeing more resources for development.
The group added that the reforms had attracted commendation from international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
On security, AYA said intensified military operations and improved intelligence coordination had led to the neutralisation of insurgents and bandits, as well as the rescue of kidnapped victims.
It also cited the elimination of notorious criminal leaders and the gradual return of farming activities in previously unsafe communities.
The assembly pointed to rail and road projects as additional proof of the administration’s commitment to national development.
AYA maintained that the reforms require continuity to fully mature, warning that ending them prematurely would be counterproductive.
The group pledged massive support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 and urged government officials to improve communication of achievements at the grassroots level.
It insisted that the President must complete his eight years in office, repeating its central warning on the need to preserve the zoning arrangement.
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