2027 PAYBACK TIME: Why The North Owes Tinubu Its Absolute Loyalty – Campaign Chief Yari

The political battle lines for the 2027 presidential election are being aggressively drawn, with Senator Abdulaziz Yari declaring that Northern Nigeria has zero justification to withhold its backing from President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

Yari, serving as the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), framed the upcoming election not just as a civic exercise, but as a test of regional honor and political reciprocity. Speaking during a high-profile mobilization visit to traditional rulers in the South-West, the former Zamfara State Governor argued that the North is bound by an unwritten debt of gratitude.

The ‘Debt’ of 2019

At the heart of Yari’s argument is a reminder of the shifting alliances that birthed the current political dispensation. According to Yari, President Tinubu demonstrated fierce loyalty to the North when it mattered most.

“In 2019, despite intense pressure from several powerful political blocs to contest against former President Muhammadu Buhari, Tinubu stood firm,” Yari stated. By choosing alignment over ambition, Tinubu paved the way for the northern region to seamlessly complete its full eight-year tenure. Now, Yari insists, it is time for the North to return the favor in full.

Early Mobilization Sparks Regional Debate

While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to officially signal the commencement of the 2027 campaign season, the APC machinery is already moving at full throttle.

Yari’s comments come amidst a broader push by the ruling party to lock down northern delegates and voters early. APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje recently echoed similar sentiments, advising ambitious northern politicians to shelve their presidential aspirations until 2031 to allow Tinubu to finish a standard two-term cycle.

Despite current socio-economic challenges, Yari maintained that Tinubu has initiated necessary structural reforms required to steady the nation, asserting that regional justice and national unity depend on the North standing solidly behind the South-West leader in 2027.