The North-East Unity Forum for Asiwaju (NUFA) has issued a firm ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), demanding the removal of former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, from the party’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council. The group, in a statement released on Friday, warned that Sheriff’s continued inclusion in the campaign structure could tarnish the APC’s public image and spark avoidable controversies that might hurt President Tinubu’s electoral chances in the region.
Group cites security and humanitarian concerns
In a statement signed by its Convener, Hon. Yusuf Umar, NUFA emphasised that the North-East is not merely an electoral zone but a region that has endured severe security, humanitarian, and economic challenges. The forum argued that such a region requires political leadership capable of commanding public confidence. It stressed that decisions on political mobilisation in the area should be guided by public perception, community confidence, and the historical experiences of the people.
NUFA acknowledged that Sheriff has repeatedly denied allegations linking him to Boko Haram and has not been convicted by any competent court. However, the group insisted that the controversy surrounding his political history could negatively affect President Tinubu and the APC’s campaign. The forum argued that campaign appointments carry political consequences that go beyond the individual appointed, and any appointment that generates substantial controversy undermines the broader objectives of the campaign.
Focus on substantive issues urged
The forum called on the APC to focus its 2027 campaign on substantive issues affecting Nigerians, including security, economic opportunities, employment, infrastructure, education, and food security, rather than allowing controversies surrounding individual campaign officials to overshadow its message. NUFA also referenced historical controversies surrounding Sheriff’s political leadership in Borno State, including findings of the Galtimari Committee and questions raised about political developments in the state before the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency.
However, the group cautioned that such historical references should not be interpreted as proof of criminal culpability, stressing that no competent court had established such culpability against Sheriff. NUFA maintained that its objection was primarily a matter of political judgment, campaign strategy, and public confidence, not a declaration of criminal guilt.
Ultimatum and withdrawal threat
The group therefore called on Tinubu and the APC leadership to strip Sheriff of his role in the 2027 campaign structure, insisting that the North-East has several competent political figures capable of mobilising support for the President and the party. Hon. Yusuf Umar was quoted as saying: “The appointment of Senator Sheriff is unacceptable. It is a provocation. And unless this appointment is reversed, the North-East Unity Forum for Asiwaju will withdraw its support, suspend its mobilisation machinery, and formally review every commitment it has made to the re-election project of President Tinubu.”
He added: “We have heard the argument that Mr Sheriff has never been convicted. We accept that as a legal fact. But politics is not conducted in a courtroom, it is conducted in the hearts and memories of voters, and the hearts of the North-East still bleed from wounds that credible public records have tied, repeatedly and without retraction, to the very era Mr Sheriff dominated Borno State’s politics.”
Umar further warned: “President Tinubu may believe he can win the North-East with Mr Sheriff on his campaign council. Let us be clear: he cannot. The people of the region are not waiting to be told how to feel about this situation as they already know better. The North-East Unity Forum for Asiwaju will not campaign, will not mobilise, and will not endorse any 2027 project that asks our people to stand behind Ali Modu Sheriff.”
Call for representation reflecting regional aspirations
The group called for political representation in the North-East that, according to it, would reflect the aspirations of the region for security, dignity, reconstruction, and economic renewal. The ultimatum underscores the growing tension within the APC as the 2027 elections approach, with NUFA insisting that the party must prioritise public confidence and regional stability over individual appointments.
