2027: North solidly behind Tinubu, Minister says

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Yusuf Ata, has described the claim of a gang up against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Northern Nigeria ahead the 2027 elections as misrepresentation of facts

Contrary to the claim, Ata said the majority of northerners are ready to reciprocate President Tinubu’s goodwill and politics of “regional balancing” in 2027.

The Minister stated this on Thursday through a Statement by his Aide, Seyi Olorunsola.

Ata said: “As the Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development, I wish to set the record straight: there is no vacancy in Aso Rock Villa in 2027. The insinuation that Northerners have “closed ranks” against President Tinubu is a deliberate misrepresentation designed to foment discord, stir regional prejudice, and undermine national cohesion.

“It is instructive to recall that since May 2023, President Tinubu has pursued an agenda that is demonstrably inclusive, strategic, and geared toward regional balance. Despite inheriting severe security deficits, he has engaged vigorously with the hydra-headed challenges of insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence, deploying new strategies, reinforcing security frameworks, and working hard to restore confidence.

“Indeed, Northern stakeholders themselves have publicly acknowledged improvements in security and infrastructure under his watch. On the economic front, the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates (among other reforms) have unlocked critical fiscal space for state governments and local governments. More resources are now available for development at the grassroots, while autonomy for Local Government Areas ensures that local priorities are addressed promptly.”

According to Ata: “President Tinubu’s tenure has also seen a steady acceleration of infrastructure projects across the North:The Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano dual carriageway is an example of enhanced connectivity within the region. The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, when completed, will further knit the country together, benefiting all regions including the North. In the housing sector, the Renewed Hope Housing Programme is being rolled out nationwide, including significant focus on Northern states. To date, 10,112 housing units are under construction across 14 locations (including Kano) under the Renewed Hope scheme. The overarching plan envisions 100 housing units in each of Nigeria’s 774 LGAs, an ambitious but urgent response to the housing deficit.

“The portal for Renewed Hope Homes allows interested Nigerians—including Northerners—to apply, with options such as NHF loans at 6% interest or rent-to-own arrangements. Hearkening to recent consultative fora in the North, the Minister of State confirms that Islamic clerics, religious leaders, traditional rulers, cultural stakeholders, and influential civil society personalities have lent their moral authority and backing to President Tinubu’s candidacy for 2027. Their support is rooted not in coercion, but in clear evaluation of policies and results on the ground.”

Ata described President Tinubu’s anti-North propaganda as: “The manufactured narrative being sold by a few bitter operators. To the Northern people, I say: do not be swayed by the false rhetoric of failed and retired politicians whose only agenda is to reclaim access to the public purse.

“Their smear campaign is a smoke screen for their own irrelevance and opportunism. Instead, weigh the record: the inclusion you see, the projects you see, and the benefit you feel. To political appointees, elected representatives, party stalwarts and community leaders in the North: your task is clear. Return to your domains, engage with your people, articulate the tangible gains of this administration, and rally support for what is right.

“The President’s re-election is not a foregone conclusion—it must be earned through credible persuasion, outreach, and visible impact. In Kano, without any equivocation, the President is assured of over 2 million votes. I again emphasize: there is no vacancy in Aso Rock Villa in 2027. The North remains fully part of the national project, and its voice and its vote matter. Let us all commit to advancing unity, rejecting division, and promoting a politics of substance.”