A major socio-political group from Northern Nigeria has set a definitive timeline for the region to present a unified front ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Rebuild Arewa Initiative for Development (RAID) announced that the nineteen Northern states will officially declare their preferred presidential candidate in April of this year.
April Convention to Forge Unified Northern Stance
The declaration will be made during a significant Northern convention scheduled for April. RAID disclosed this plan on Friday, January 16, 2026, in Abuja, during a press briefing outlining activities for the 2026 Sardauna Memorial Day. The group's Director of Communications and Publicity, Comrade Bitako Abubakar Umar, stated that the convention is designed to bring together key stakeholders from across the region.
According to Umar, the goal is to ensure all Northern interest groups adopt a common political position for the 2027 polls. RAID has reportedly engaged with political, traditional, and religious leaders, as well as youth and women's groups, civil society, professionals, and business leaders. "This initiative is designed to produce a people-driven roadmap that will guide leadership choices and policy direction ahead of the 2027 elections," Umar explained.
Addressing Critical Challenges: Insecurity and Governance Failures
The convention is framed as a non-partisan platform to address the region's deep-seated crises. RAID highlighted that Northern Nigeria is grappling with interconnected challenges that demand a collective response. The group pointed to worsening insecurity, economic decline, and significant governance deficits as primary threats.
Comrade Umar issued a stark warning, stating that persistent insecurity—including banditry, terrorism, farmer-herder clashes, and kidnappings—poses a grave danger to the region and the nation. He attributed this crisis to weak prosecution of criminals, poor governance, and the failure to implement crucial social policies, especially in education. "There is a culture of impunity where reports of commissions of inquiry are rarely followed by prosecution," he noted.
RAID also criticized the payment of ransoms to kidnappers, arguing it reinforces inequality and fuels criminal activity. Furthermore, Umar blamed the poor execution of the Universal Basic Education policy for the alarming number of out-of-school children in the North, who he said are vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups.
A Call to Revive Sardauna's Leadership Legacy
During the briefing, RAID's Secretary, Comrade Kabiru Duhu, called on Northern leaders to draw inspiration from the philosophy of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. Duhu described the former Northern Premier as a visionary whose emphasis on education, unity, and moral leadership remains critically relevant.
"The Sardauna’s inclusive governance style, personal integrity, and long-term planning offer critical lessons for addressing today’s insecurity, poverty, and weak institutions," Duhu asserted. Other speakers echoed the need for ethical leadership, strong institutions, investment in education and youth empowerment, and regional unity as the foundation for stability and development.
The group concluded that the path forward involves adapting the values exemplified by Sir Ahmadu Bello while forging a cohesive political direction for the 2027 general elections.
