The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has cautioned northern politicians against contesting the 2027 presidential election, saying that President Bola Tinubu must be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure for the southern region.

The group said its position was in the interest of national unity, cohesion and continuity of governance, adding that the existing zoning arrangement must be respected.

In a statement on Sunday in Kaduna, the AYA speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, urged northern political actors to refrain from presenting themselves as candidates in 2027.

AYA recalled that no prominent southerner contested against former President Muhammadu Buhari during his tenure, allowing the north to complete its eight-year cycle.

It said it was now the south’s turn to complete its tenure under Mr Tinubu, adding that any attempt to disrupt the arrangement would be resisted.

The group warned that any northerner seeking to contest in 2027 would be viewed as an enemy of fairness and of northern youths.

Beyond zoning, the assembly said Mr Tinubu’s administration had initiated far-reaching reforms in the economy, security and infrastructure with visible results.

It said government policies had saved between N4 trillion and N7 trillion annually, while exchange rate unification had improved transparency and boosted external reserves from about $4 billion in 2023 to over $20 billion in 2025.

According to the group, the debt service-to-revenue ratio had also dropped from about 97 per cent to below 50 per cent, freeing resources for development.

AYA noted that the reforms had drawn commendation from global financial institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

On security, it said intensified military operations and intelligence coordination had led to the neutralisation of insurgents and bandits and the rescue of kidnapped victims.

The assembly cited the elimination of notorious bandit leaders and disruption of criminal networks, adding that farming activities were gradually returning in previously unsafe communities.

It also pointed to ongoing infrastructure investments, including rail and road projects, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to development.

AYA said the reforms required continuity to mature, warning that truncating them at this stage would be counterproductive.

The group pledged massive support for Mr Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 and urged government officials to improve communication of achievements to the grassroots, insisting that the president must complete his eight years in office. 

(NAN)