2027: No Better Candidate To Govern Nigeria Than Bola Tinubu – Ganduje

Abdullahi Ganduje, immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dismissed claims that northern Nigeria would oppose President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, describing such views as a “big mistake”.

Ganduje spoke on Friday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of Northern Nigeria youth leaders drawn from the 19 northern states, who paid him a courtesy visit.

Addressing the group, the former Kano State governor expressed strong confidence in Tinubu’s prospects, insisting that the president remains the best option for the country beyond 2027.

“There is no better candidate to govern Nigeria beyond 2027 from the southern Nigeria than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

He warned critics against assuming that the North would back another candidate in the next presidential election. “Pertaining to the next election in 2027, those that are nursing or thinking otherwise that the north will vote another candidate other than Asiwaju are making a big mistake,” Ganduje added.

Ganduje described Tinubu as a uniquely qualified leader, noting that Nigeria is fortunate to have a president whose life has been rooted in political struggle and democratic activism.

“This is the first time Nigeria as a nation is lucky to have a politician as president; his constituency is politics, his upbringing is politics because he believes in the unity of this country,” he said.

Recalling Tinubu’s role in Nigeria’s democratic journey, Ganduje said, “In fact, he struggled; he was even in exile for democracy to survive in Nigeria. So, there is no better person to be elected in 2027 than Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

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He also referenced a prior political understanding reached before the election of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, which, according to him, provided that power would rotate back to the South after eight years.

“Asiwaju has only been there for less than four years now, and we have seen the measures, the reforms that he undertook,” Ganduje said. “The reforms that he introduced in order to improve the social economic development of this country.”

Highlighting Tinubu’s economic policies, Ganduje pointed to the removal of fuel subsidy as a bold decision avoided by past administrations and rival candidates. “All the candidates who contested with him in 2023 promised to remove the fuel subsidy; even the previous government promised to remove the subsidy, but nobody was bold enough to do that job,” he said.

“But Asiwaju has succeeded in removing the subsidy, and now all the state governors, irrespective of their political leaning, believe they are getting more funds for the development of their states.”

He stressed that the policy was driven by national interest rather than partisan gains. “So, this president has undertaken measures that will improve the economy of this country,” he said.

Ganduje commended the northern youth leaders for their commitment to Tinubu’s re-election campaign, praising their mobilisation efforts and financial contributions. “There’s no better commitment than this; you are contributing funds, your brain, your energy, and your time to ensure the re-election of Asiwaju,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the group, its national leader, Murtala Gamji, said northern youths had resolved to rally behind Tinubu across the region. “We have all agreed to support the re-election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by massively mobilising youths in the 19 northern states and to raise funds to buy his nomination form,” he said.

Gamji also rejected suggestions that the North was opposed to Tinubu’s second-term bid. “That’s a lie because nobody has supported us in the north like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

At the event, the Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders Forum formally conferred on Ganduje the title of its grand patron.