N’Central Leaders Decry Marginalization, Vow Not to Support Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election
Political leaders and stakeholders from Nigeria’s North-Central region have declared that they will not support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 unless he replaces Vice President Kashim Shettima with a running mate from their zone.
At a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, representatives from the six states of the North-Central region Benue, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Niger, and Nasarawa as well as the Federal Capital Territory, lamented what they described as decades of political marginalization.
They argued that, since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, no individual from their region has ever occupied the office of President or Vice President.
Leader of the North-Central Renaissance Movement, Professor Nghargbu K’tso, voiced the grievances of the region, stating: “As Nigeria prepares to mark 65 years of independence on October 1, 2025, it will also mark 65 years of political exclusion for the North-Central zone.”
“The region has been deprived of the chance to hold either of the two highest offices in the land. This is a zone that faces widespread insecurity, immense poverty, and the loss of countless lives,” he added.
K’tso further highlighted that, since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the North-Central and South-East geopolitical zones remain the only ones yet to produce either a President or Vice President. However, he noted that while the South-East had Dr. Alex Ekwueme serve as Vice President between 1979 and 1983, the North-Central has never held such a position in Nigeria’s history.
“This has to change,” K’tso declared. “Since 1999, the North-Central has not had the privilege of holding the office of President or Vice President, even though the region has made significant sacrifices.”
The coalition emphasized that their demand is rooted in principles of fairness, equity, and justice, insisting that the 2027 presidency must be ceded to the North-Central region. They also urged opposition parties to ensure their candidates come from the zone.
“If the ruling APC chooses to offer President Tinubu the right of first refusal for the 2027 election ticket, we demand that his running mate must come from the North-Central region,” K’tso stated firmly. “We insist that he must drop Vice President Shettima and pick someone from the North-Central. If the other political parties are serious about fairness, they too must feature presidential candidates from the North-Central zone.”
The demand and voices from the North-Central stakeholders seems not to be going down as the region at many times made their demands known to intensify political change ahead of the general elections.