By Caleb Ishaya
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, an Arewa group under the aegis of Rebuild Arewa Initiative for Development, RAID, said the 19 states in the north will announce their preferred presidential candidate in April.
RAID dropped the hint while briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja on the activities lined up to mark the 2026 Sardauna Memorial Day.
It said the declaration will be made during the northern convention in April.
RAID also stated that the region is confronted with deep and interrelated challenges that can no longer be addressed with silence, denial or fragmented efforts.
The group expressed concern over the worsening insecurity across Northern Nigeria and announced its plan to convene a major regional convention aimed at forging a unified strategy on security, development and inclusive governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It said the proposed convention in April would serve as a non-partisan platform for northern stakeholders to collectively address the region’s pressing socio-economic, political and security challenges.
The group has contacted all northern groups and the April convention is to ensure that all interest groups take a uniformed position on the 2027 elections.
Reading the prepared text, RAID’s Director of Communications and Publicity, Comrade Bitako Umar, said the convention would bring together, political, traditional and religious leaders, as well as youth and women groups, civil society organisations, professionals and business leaders.
According to him, participants will work towards articulating a common position on restoring peace, tackling poverty and unemployment, reviving education and strengthening governance across the north.
Umar explained that the initiative is designed to produce a people-driven roadmap that will guide leadership choices and policy direction in the run-up to the 2027 polls, while reaffirming the north’s commitment to unity, constructive engagement and national development.
He warned that the prevailing insecurity, marked by banditry, terrorism, farmer-herder conflicts and kidnapping, poses a grave threat not only to the region, but to Nigeria’s overall stability and prosperity.
Fielding questions from journalists, Umar attributed the deepening insecurity to weak prosecution of criminal elements, poor governance and failure to effectively implement key social policies, particularly in the education sector.
He lamented what he described as a culture of impunity, noting that reports of past commissions of inquiry were rarely followed by prosecutions.
He also criticised the payment of ransom to kidnappers, saying it reinforces inequality and incentivises criminality.
Umar blamed the poor implementation of the Universal Basic Education policy for the growing number of out-of-school children, many of whom, he said, are easily recruited by extremist and criminal groups operating in the region.
Beyond security concerns, he said political interference, historical injustices and selective remembrance of national leaders have continued to fuel discontent in the north, stressing the need for inclusive dialogue and recognition of shared sacrifices in nation-building.
Earlier, RAID’s Secretary, Comrade Kabiru Duhu, renewed calls for Northern Nigeria to emulate the leadership philosophy of Sir Ahmadu Bello, describing his legacies as critical to addressing insecurity, poverty and weak institutions.
Sir Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria from 1954 until his assassination in 1966, was widely regarded as a visionary statesman who prioritised education, unity, institutional development and moral leadership.
Duhu recalled that Sardauna’s administration established landmark institutions, including Ahmadu Bello University, alongside teachers colleges, scholarship schemes and agricultural initiatives that drove economic growth and social cohesion in the region.
He noted that Sardauna’s inclusive governance style, personal integrity and long-term planning remain relevant today.
Other speakers at the briefing stressed that restoring ethical leadership, rebuilding strong institutions, investing in education and youth empowerment, and promoting unity over division are essential for peace and development.
They concluded that Northern Nigeria’s path to stability and prosperity lies in consciously adapting the principles and values exemplified by Sir Bello.
