In a calculated high-stakes political move aimed at quelling growing anxieties in northern political circles over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid, Vice President Kashim Shettima hosted a high-powered delegation of influential northern political, community, and religious leaders at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The meeting, organized alongside the "Arewa for Asiwaju" (A4A) coalition, saw top regional figures gather to address mounting regional discontent and outline a unified electoral strategy ahead of the 2027 presidential polls.
Among key figures present at the closed-door engagement were Minister of Defence Abubakar Badaru, former Kano State Governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, former Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema, former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, NDLEA Chairman Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd.), and Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman.
Addressing concerns raised over economic hardship, security challenges, and political representation, Vice President Shettima delivered a direct plea for regional unity behind the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Shettima declared that northern Nigeria stands to benefit significantly more from a second term under President Tinubu, urging leaders to reject divisive narratives pushed by opposition elements.
To support his pitch, the Vice President highlighted concrete federal interventions targeted directly at northern states:
Agricultural Funding: Over ₦450 billion disbursed via the Bank of Agriculture to 700,000 smallholder farmers, with nearly 70 percent of beneficiaries based in northern states.
Key Appointments: High-level representation of northern stakeholders within key federal ministries, security agencies, and economic boards.
Security & Infrastructure: Ongoing military operations against insurgency and rural banditry across the Northwest and Northeast, coupled with major road corridors connecting northern trade routes.
Shettima’s proactive engagement comes at a crucial moment when opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party's Peter Obi, are intensifying consultation talks to build a unified northern front ahead of 2027.
By bringing together key political rivals from Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Katsina—such as Shekarau, Badaru, and Shema—under the Arewa for Asiwaju banner, Shettima is working to consolidate grassroots structures, engage Islamic clerics, and counter regional voter fragmentation well ahead of the primary season.