The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has announced that it will not endorse any political party or presidential candidate ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, opting instead to engage aspirants through interviews to evaluate their plans for tackling key challenges facing northern Nigeria.
The forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, said the ACF would begin consultations with presidential hopefuls within the next six months, focusing on their proposals to address insecurity, poverty, education and economic empowerment in the region. He explained that the process would follow a similar pattern to the engagements conducted before the 2023 elections.
According to Muhammad-Baba, the ACF’s diverse membership makes partisan endorsement impractical. Rather than backing individuals or parties, the organisation intends to assess and support policy ideas that align with the collective interests of the North. He added that the forum would produce a detailed position paper outlining the region’s priorities, which would later be presented to the winner of the 2027 presidential election.
Reflecting on past elections, Muhammad-Baba recalled that during the 2023 race, the ACF invited major presidential candidates for interactive sessions, although not all accepted the invitation. He noted that while Peter Obi and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended the engagements, Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso declined.
Several political figures have already been mentioned as potential contenders for the 2027 presidency, including Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim and Adewole Adebayo. The presidential primaries are expected to hold around June, while the election itself is scheduled for the first Saturday in February 2027.
The ACF also pointed out that while it endorsed former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, it did not support any candidate in the 2015 and 2023 elections.
Former ACF Secretary-General, Anthony Sani, reinforced the forum’s stance, saying endorsements are avoided because members belong to different political parties. He stressed that while northerners share common regional interests, partisan politics often divides opinion.
In the same vein, Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said the region would only rally behind leaders who show a clear commitment to safeguarding northern interests, rather than pledging loyalty to political parties.
The forum disclosed that preparations for its consultations with aspirants and the drafting of its position paper are expected to be completed before June 2026.
