From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has declared that Northern Nigeria will present a united front in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Governor Yahaya made the declaration on Monday, July 28, while speaking at a two-day citizen engagement summit organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) in Kaduna.
“In 2027, we must reward performance and hard work. And by that measure, President Tinubu has earned our continued support,” Governor Yahaya asserted, stressing that the region is not swayed by political rhetoric but by tangible results.
The governor’s position was contained in a statement issued by his Director-General of Press Affairs, Ismaila Uba Misilli. The governor emphasised that the North remains firmly aligned with President Tinubu’s vision, having seen verifiable progress on key infrastructure and economic interventions.
“Today, we gather not for empty rhetoric, but to examine those promises and assess the level of progress so far. What we find is an administration that has delivered meaningful results for our region despite facing significant national challenges,” he said.
He listed flagship federal projects in the region, under Tinubu’s administration, including the continuation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line, the rehabilitation of the Kaduna Refinery, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, and oil drilling at the Kolmani Oilfields as major strides towards regional development.
“These are not just campaign promises; they are real investments in Northern Nigeria’s industrial future,” Governor Yahaya noted, adding that the Renewed Hope Agenda has built upon and expanded existing frameworks for sustainable growth.
He also highlighted new federal initiatives such as the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway and expanded inter-state road infrastructure aimed at connecting Northern producers with Southern markets. According to him, these efforts signal a deliberate federal push to reposition the North within Nigeria’s economic architecture.
However, Yahaya was also candid about gaps in federal attention, particularly to the North-East subregion. He said, “We welcome the vision behind these projects, but we must also be honest, many of them have not touched the North-East. We need more federal presence in our zone to bridge the development gap and ensure equitable progress across all parts of the country.”
Addressing the ongoing economic hardship resulting from subsidy removal and currency reforms, the NSGF Chairman admitted that the policies have inflicted widespread pain but defended them as necessary for long-term fiscal stability.
“There is no doubt these reforms have had debilitating side effects. But they were necessary to stabilise our economy for long-term growth. The pain is real, but so is the progress,” Governor Yahaya stated.
He called on Northern stakeholders, state governments, traditional institutions, business leaders, and civil society to complement federal efforts through grassroots investments and active civic engagement.
