Kaduna: The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure for the Southern region while warning Northern politicians against contesting the 2027 presidential election. The group emphasized that their stance is crucial for national unity, cohesion, and the continuity of governance. They insisted that the existing zoning arrangement must be respected.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the assembly’s Speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, issued a statement in Kaduna urging Northern political actors to refrain from presenting themselves as candidates in 2027. AYA recalled that during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, no prominent Southerner contested against him, allowing the North to complete its eight-year cycle. The group asserted that it is now the South’s turn to complete its tenure under Tinubu, warning that any attempt to disrupt this arrangement would be resisted.
The group further cautioned that any Northerner seeking to contest in 2027 would be perceived as an adversary to fairness and Northern youths. Beyond the zoning issue, the assembly highlighted that the Tinubu administration had initiated significant reforms in the economy, security, and infrastructure, yielding visible results. They noted that government policies had saved between ?4 trillion and ?7 trillion annually, and exchange rate unification had enhanced transparency, boosting external reserves from about $4 billion in 2023 to over $20 billion in 2025.
AYA stated that the debt service-to-revenue ratio had also decreased from approximately 97 percent to below 50 percent, thereby freeing resources for development. The group mentioned that these reforms had received commendation from global financial institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
On security, AYA reported that intensified military operations and intelligence coordination had led to the neutralization of insurgents and bandits, as well as the rescue of kidnapped victims. They cited the elimination of notorious bandit leaders and disruption of criminal networks, adding that farming activities were gradually resuming in previously unsafe communities.
The assembly also pointed to ongoing infrastructure investments, such as rail and road projects, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to development. AYA stressed that the reforms required continuity to mature, warning that disrupting them at this stage would be counterproductive.
The group pledged massive support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 and urged government officials to improve communication of achievements to the grassroots, insisting that the President must complete his eight years in office.