The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, has called on Northerners to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Yari said the North should view the 2027 election as an opportunity to reciprocate the support Tinubu gave to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He made the remarks during a visit by the APC Presidential Campaign Council to the palace of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.
‘It Is Time to Repay Tinubu’
Yari argued that Tinubu played an important role in allowing Buhari to complete his two-term presidency.
According to him, the North should remember that support when deciding who to back in 2027.
“For people in the North, I believe it’s time for us to repay Tinubu for letting the North finish its full term,” Yari said.
He recalled the political debate within the APC before the 2019 presidential election.
Yari Recalls 2019 Decision
Yari said some influential figures within the APC had pushed for Tinubu to seek the presidency in 2019.
However, he claimed Tinubu rejected the pressure because he believed it was still the North’s turn to produce the president.
He said Tinubu instead supported Buhari’s bid to remain in office.
Yari added that Tinubu’s position helped Buhari secure the backing needed to complete his time as president.
APC Seeks Northern Support
Yari said he saw no reason for Northerners to withhold their support for Tinubu in 2027.
He argued that the president should be allowed to continue the work his administration has started and complete his constitutional tenure.
“Today, I don’t believe there’s any reason for people from the northern region not to back Tinubu in continuing the good work he has already started and finishing his time in office,” he said.
2027 Political Battle
The comments come as political parties and campaign groups intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu, who was elected president in 2023, is expected to seek another term.
The APC is already mobilising support across different regions as the election approaches.
Yari’s appeal adds a regional dimension to the party’s campaign strategy, with the former governor urging northern voters to support Tinubu based partly on his relationship with the Buhari presidency.
