The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has said the North would have failed itself if President Bola Tinubu does not return to power for a second term.
Yilwatda made the statement on Saturday in Abuja during the commissioning of the Arewa for Asiwaju secretariat, a support group working to mobilise backing for Tinubu ahead of the next presidential election.
Addressing supporters at the event, the APC chairman said the North had no reason to abandon the president, urging the region to support his re-election bid.
He argued that if Tinubu was no longer in the presidential race, the North would be responsible for failing itself. He called for the president to be returned for a second term and asked those present to shout yes if they agreed with his position.
Yilwatda listed several reasons he believes the North should support Tinubu, including the position of Vice President Kashim Shettima and his own emergence as APC national chairman from the region.
He also pointed to road construction, railway development, gas projects and other infrastructure efforts across the three northern zones, claiming that no previous administration had built more kilometres of roads in the region.
The APC chairman further expressed confidence in the North’s electoral strength, claiming that the region could deliver more than 70 per cent of its votes through support at polling units.
He also argued that backing other presidential candidates could worsen poverty in the North, while maintaining that increased allocations to state governments had helped them meet salary obligations more effectively than in the past.
Yilwatda described Tinubu as a symbol of unity across religious and ethnic lines, presenting the president’s leadership as a reason for the North to maintain its support for the ruling party.
However, the appeal comes amid criticism from Nigerians who question what the Tinubu administration has delivered to the North despite the region’s substantial support in the 2023 presidential election.
Critics have expressed concern over hunger, rising living costs and economic hardship, asking what the president has done for a region that contributed millions of votes to his victory.
They argue that the North gave Tinubu more than five million votes but has yet to see enough improvement in the living conditions of many residents.
Official election results show that Tinubu received about 5.6 million votes across the northern states, making the region an important part of his winning coalition.
The contrasting positions highlight the political challenge facing the APC as it seeks to maintain northern support ahead of the next election, with party leaders emphasising infrastructure projects, federal allocations and political representation while critics focus on the daily economic struggles confronting ordinary citizens.
