The apex northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has ruled out endorsing any candidate in the 2027 presidential election, saying it will instead subject presidential hopefuls to interviews to assess their plans for addressing the region’s challenges.
Speaking with Leadership in Kaduna, the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, said the forum would engage presidential aspirants within the next six months to interrogate their proposals on insecurity, poverty, education and economic empowerment in northern Nigeria.
According to him, the exercise would mirror the approach adopted by the forum ahead of the 2023 general election.
“We are not going to endorse any presidential candidate or political party in the 2027 elections,” Muhammad-Baba said. “Our organisation is diverse. We can only endorse plans and ideas that align with northern interests. We are not partisan.”
He disclosed that the forum would prepare a comprehensive position paper on northern Nigeria, which would be presented to the eventual winner of the 2027 presidential election.
Muhammad-Baba recalled that during the 2023 elections, the forum invited all major presidential candidates for interactive sessions but noted that some declined.
“Peter Obi came; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came. Atiku Abubakar did not come; Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso did not come,” he said.
Among those already identified as potential contenders for 2027 are President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim and Adewole Adebayo.
While presidential primaries are expected around June, the presidential election is scheduled for the first Saturday in February 2027.
The forum noted that although it endorsed former President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2019 election, it refrained from backing any candidate in 2015 and 2023.
Also speaking, former ACF Secretary-General, Anthony Sani, said the forum deliberately avoids endorsing candidates because its membership cuts across political parties.
“The North is united on regional interests, but not on partisan politics,” Sani said. “Endorsing a candidate would fracture the unity of the forum.”
Similarly, Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said the North would only support candidates who demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting the region’s interests.
“Northern Nigeria will remain faithful not to politicians or parties, but to those willing to promote and protect its interests,” Dalhatu said.
The ACF said preparations for consultations and the position paper would be concluded before June 2026.