Shekarau vows to mobilise northern votes for Tinubu

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, prominent northern political leaders under the banner of the Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A) movement have pledged to mobilize voters across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to secure victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The delegation, led by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT), Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, and Deputy BOT Chairman, former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, met with the APC National Chairman, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Presenting the group’s roadmap, Senator Shekarau explained that A4A was established to complement the official APC structure by deploying an experienced reserve of political strategists, former governors, and legislators to address voter apathy and maximize northern vote returns.

“What we are doing is adding color to the APC, which is the mother of all,” Shekarau said. “We are very conscious of the number of voters in the North, which remains the largest in the country. Our objective is to ensure that our voter turnout is not only repeated but significantly expanded compared to previous elections.”

Shekarau revealed that A4A has established over 20 functional directorates and appointed coordinators across all states, local government areas, and electoral wards.

He added that the group has compiled a comprehensive catalog of President Tinubu’s infrastructural projects and policy achievements across the North to counter opposition narratives claiming the region has been neglected.

He formally invited the party leadership to the grand commissioning of the A4A operational secretariat in Abuja, scheduled for Saturday, October 17, confirming that Vice President Kashim Shettima will perform the official commissioning.

Corroborating Shekarau’s remarks, Lalong, described A4A as a strategic reserve unit composed of seasoned political veterans working in sync with the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

Welcoming the delegation, APC National Chairman Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda praised the inclusivity, regional balance, and political weight of the A4A coalition, noting that the group effectively dispels claims that the North does not support the Tinubu administration.

“Anyone from the North who sees the faces in this group feels included,” Yilwatda said. “Where are the people saying the North doesn’t like Mr. President? Is it the former governors, former speakers, or former senate presidents? Most of them are right here in this group. Now we have a unified voice that speaks for the North.”