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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
A northern youth group, the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), yesterday, declared its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to complete what it described as the South’s eight-year presidential tenure, insisting there is “no vacancy in Aso Rock” until May 29, 2031.
In a statement by its Speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, the group warned politicians from Northern Nigeria against contesting the 2027 presidential election, citing the need to uphold an unwritten zoning arrangement between the North and South.
The group argued that the South had previously respected the arrangement by allowing former President Muhammadu Buhari to complete two terms without significant opposition from southern political actors, stressing that the same gesture must now be reciprocated.
“This is not a matter for debate. Any Northerner who decides to violate this understanding and contest in 2027 will be seen as an enemy of fairness and of Northern youth,” the statement read in part.
AYA further warned that it would mobilise resistance against any such ambition, framing the issue as one of equity, national unity, and political stability.
The group also threw its weight behind the economic and security reforms of the Tinubu administration, claiming that recent policy decisions have saved trillions of naira, improved foreign reserves, and reduced Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio.
On security, the group commended the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for what it described as effective coordination of military and intelligence operations, leading to the neutralisation of bandit leaders and the rescue of kidnapped victims, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
According to the statement, the combination of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies has begun restoring stability in affected communities, allowing farmers to return to previously abandoned lands.
AYA also highlighted ongoing infrastructure investments, including rail and road projects, which it said are critical to national development but require continuity to be fully realised.
The group, however, criticised what it described as poor communication by government officials, urging ministers and heads of agencies to engage more actively with citizens at the grassroots level to publicise the administration’s achievements.
Reaffirming its stance, the group described the 2027 election as a “referendum on continuity,” pledging mass support for Tinubu’s re-election and dismissing opposition voices as politically motivated.
“The unity of Nigeria is paramount and higher than any personal or regional interest,” the statement added.
