North Central political leaders and stakeholders have formally launched the North Central Grassroots Mobilisation Movement for Tinubu/Shettima 2027, a regional platform designed to secure the highest-ever vote total for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in the next general election. The inaugural meeting took place on Friday, October 2, at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja, bringing together governors, ministers, party officials, and APC stakeholders from across the zone.
Akume and Sule Back the Push for Tinubu in 2027
SGF Senator George Akume told attendees that the movement's core aim was to canvass broad support and turn out votes for the President in 2027. He singled out National Coordinator Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono for praise, crediting him with driving the initiative to fruition and describing the North Central's goal as delivering the highest regional vote total in the country for Tinubu.
Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule described the movement as both timely and necessary. He argued that the North Central's political standing had grown considerably since the last election cycle, pointing to the region's current hold on the SGF position, the APC National Chairmanship, and several other senior federal appointments. Governor Sule said the latest voter register showed strong APC support in the zone and expressed confidence that the region would outperform its 2023 numbers.
Echono and Malagi Outline Strategy for Record Vote
Echono told the gathering that the question was no longer whether Tinubu would win the North Central, but by how wide a margin. He described the forum as a strategic platform that would draw together political leaders, grassroots actors, and broader stakeholders under a single, coordinated drive ahead of 2027.
Minister of Information Mohammed Idris Malagi described the movement as the first of its kind and pledged that the necessary structures would be put in place to support its work. He said he would collaborate with state commissioners for information, state publicity secretaries, and state-level publicity committees to raise awareness of the initiative, with backing from the respective governors. That resolution was moved by Hon. Idris Wase and seconded by the APC National Vice Chairman for the North Central zone.
Four Resolutions Adopted to Drive Mobilisation
The meeting closed with four formal resolutions. The forum agreed to intensify electoral mobilisation for Tinubu with a target of delivering the region's largest-ever vote haul. It also resolved to organise a grand rally in Lafia, Nasarawa State, alongside a medical outreach programme. A North Central Reconciliation Committee will be set up to work with the APC National Chairman, the SGF, and the National Working Committee to resolve internal party disputes and improve cohesion across the zone. Town hall meetings will also be organised across the region as part of the outreach effort.
The Economist Predicts Tinubu's Path to Re-election
Meanwhile, London-based The Economist has argued that President Tinubu could secure a second term in the January 2027 presidential election, despite being broadly unpopular among Nigerians. In an article titled "Nigerians Dislike Their President, But May Re-elect Him Anyway," the magazine pointed to what it described as Nigeria's "complicated electoral dynamics" as the key reason the incumbent retained a plausible path to victory. These included political cynicism, a divided opposition, religious identity, incumbency advantages and historically low voter turnout in insecurity-hit areas.
