Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured supporters of President Bola Tinubu that the North has nothing to fear from the President’s bid for a second term in office, urging northern leaders to unite behind the Tinubu-Shettima ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Shettima made the remarks while addressing supporters and members of the Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a northern political group campaigning for Tinubu’s re-election.
The Vice President said the North had benefited from the Tinubu administration through political appointments, agricultural interventions and infrastructure projects, arguing that the region stood to gain more if the administration was given another four years.
He cited the Bank of Agriculture’s reported disbursement of N450 billion to about 700,000 smallholder farmers nationwide, saying approximately 70 per cent of the beneficiaries were from the North.
“The North has no reason to be scared of the re-election of President Tinubu,” Shettima said, assuring supporters that the President remained committed to the development of the region.
He urged northern stakeholders to work together for the development of the region and intensify mobilisation at the ward, community and local government levels ahead of the election.
Shettima also pointed to ongoing government projects and programmes as evidence of the administration’s commitment to the North, saying Tinubu’s second term would provide an opportunity to consolidate what he described as existing gains.
The remarks come amid increasing political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, with northern political leaders and support groups stepping up efforts to rally voters behind the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
However, in a subsequent engagement with APC supporters, Shettima cautioned that northern support for Tinubu should not be treated as a blank cheque. He said the administration must earn voters’ confidence through accountability, transparency and demonstrable results while acknowledging the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
He said the government and its supporters must be prepared to explain the impact of its reforms and demonstrate how another four years would improve the lives of citizens.