2027: North Central Seals Pact With Tinubu, Vows Landslide Victory

A socio-political advocacy group, North Central Agenda (NCA), has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, declaring that his victory in the region during the 2027 presidential election is assured.

The group attributed its position to the administration’s deliberate investments in infrastructure, security, agriculture and education, insisting that the North Central had become one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

At the North Central Development Conference on the Renewed Hope Agenda in Abuja, the convener of NCA, Dr Ene Lilian Ogbole, said the region had moved from years of neglect to an era of renewed government attention and visible development.

According to her, before the Tinubu administration came on board, the North Central grappled with poor infrastructure, insecurity and socio-economic challenges that slowed development across the zone.

Describing the zone as a strategic voting bloc in Nigeria’s electoral history, Ogbole said the fair distribution of federal projects and appointments under the Tinubu administration had restored the people’s confidence in the federal government.

She, however, said President Tinubu had demonstrated political courage by taking difficult decisions and embarking on critical projects that are repositioning the region for sustainable growth.

Ogbole listed some of the major road projects underway in the region to include the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Kogi–Nasarawa–Abuja Super Highway; the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway traversing Niger and Kwara States; the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Maiduguri Highway; the Suleja–Minna Dual Carriageway and the Lokoja–Okene dualisation, as well as the Makurdi–Aliade–Otukpo Road.

She also applauded increased investments in education through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), noting that more students now have access to educational support. At the same time, industrial disputes in public tertiary institutions have significantly reduced.

On security and agriculture, the NCA convener said improved security operations across the North Central had enabled many farmers to return to their farms, revived economic activities and strengthened the region’s position as Nigeria’s food basket.

“The North Central has witnessed a remarkable shift from neglect to recognition. Today, our people can see tangible infrastructure, improved security and policies deliberately targeted at improving livelihoods across the region.

“As the collective voice of the North Central, we are fully committed to mobilising massively across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu secures an overwhelming mandate in 2027.

“For us, this is beyond politics. It is about consolidating the gains already recorded. We are confident that the people of the North Central will stand firmly behind President Tinubu because they have seen results,” she said.

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, represented by his senior assistant on Technical Matters, Prof. Babatunde Bolaji Bernard, said the Tinubu administration was implementing reforms to guarantee Nigeria’s long-term prosperity.

He said that although some policies may not yield immediate results, they are necessary to rebuild the country’s economy and lay the foundation for sustainable national development.

Benard described the student loan scheme as one of the administration’s landmark achievements, saying it had opened educational opportunities to ordinary Nigerian students.

He also highlighted ongoing investments in critical infrastructure across the country, including major highway projects designed to boost commerce, agriculture and industrial growth.

According to him, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, with its integrated dam infrastructure, would unlock enormous economic opportunities through irrigation, water supply, farming and rural development.

He urged Nigerians to support leaders committed to building enduring infrastructure capable of transforming the nation’s economy rather than focusing on short-term political benefits.

In his goodwill message, APC chieftain from Benue State, comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, commended President Tinubu for strengthening security in Benue and supporting development initiatives in collaboration with Governor Hyacinth Alia.

He expressed confidence that the President would enjoy overwhelming support from Benue voters in the 2027 presidential election.

Meanwhile, the director-general of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), Dr Umar Tanko Yakasai, dismissed renewed criticisms of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, insisting that Nigerians had settled the matter during the 2023 presidential election.

Yakasai argued that the Tinubu administration had demonstrated inclusiveness through appointments and development projects across all regions, particularly the North Central, maintaining that governance and performance—not religion—would remain the deciding factors in 2027.

The conference attracted delegates and stakeholders from the six North Central states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)