November 15, (THEWILL) – As the day of reckoning for the 2027 general election draws closer, new alliances are forged on the foundation of old ones. In the 2023 general election, three formidable political organisations, namely Afenifere, Ohanaeze N’digbo, Pan-Nigeria Delta Forum (PANDEF), and the Middle Belt Forum, teamed up to support the presidential ambition of the then Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, whom they considered the best candidate who fulfilled their political decision to support a candidate from the South.
That solidarity appeared to have fizzled out with the death of Afenifere leader at the time, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and Professor George Obiozor, ex-President General of Ohanaeze, and the leader of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark. Among these leaders that consummated that deal, only Dr Bitrus Poju, President of the Middle-Belt Forum that is still alive.
Amid the weakened alliance among the Southern Leaders and Middle Belt Forum, the latter has held on to the strategy: support for a presidential candidate from the South, except that this time around, that candidate, for them, is not Obi, who incidentally would be on the ballot in the 2027 presidential poll, but on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
Incumbent President Bola Tinubu is the choice of the Middle Belt leaders for the 2027 poll, THEWILL gathered at the weekend. That is the story behind the photo ops with President Bola Tinubu on Friday, November 6, 2027, when leaders of the Middle Belt and North Central visited the Presidential Villa.
Led by General Theophilus Danjuma, retd, an elder statesman and influential figure in the MD, NC and Northeast, the delegation included National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Poju, Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, Gen. Ishaya Bamayi, retd, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, businessman and entrepreneur, Thomas Etuh, Minister of Defense, Gen. Christopher Musa, and Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State.
The composition of the delegation underscores the interchangeability of the demography of the Middle Belt, MB, and the North Central, NC, geo-political zone. In a strict political sense, the North Central geo-political zone comprises Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory, whereas the demographic term middle belt includes these states and minorities in Adamawa, Southern Bauchi, Southern Borno, Southern Gombe, Southern Kaduna, Southern Kebbi and Southern Yobe.
According to a source who is privy to the development, several meetings between the President and leaders of the MB and North Central preceded the visit. The source told THEWILL that, on the part of the leaders of the MB and NC, their political stance to support a presidential candidate from the South remains. Tinubu and Obi fit into that agenda. Support for Obi this time around has a snag. The hurdle, the source said, was the Vice-Presidential candidate of the NDC, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso. The leaders considered Obi a man of honour who would keep to his promise to do a term of four years.
“This means that Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso would assume the presidential ticket in 2031. Then you have the incumbent President whose tenure ends in four years if he wins the election in 2027,” said the source, adding, “So, the question arose, between the two of them, Obi and Tinubu, whom do we support? The question was settled when officials of the MB met with the President at his instance at the Villa. We were able to extract some commitment from the President. The most important of them is that he would support the North Central geo-political zone to produce the President in 2031. The other commitments would easily be fulfilled if he is re-elected.”
Though the President’s commitment to support the NC in 2031 was a crucial aspect of their agreement, there were other promises in the package which, according to the source, decided the delegation to throw their weight behind the President in 2027.
Weighed against a probability represented by a yet-to-be-elected Obi, the President’s commitment sounded more pragmatic. More frightening to the MB and NC leaders was the fact that even with an Obi victory, Kwankwaso, who would, in all likelihood, assume the mantle in 2031, would revert power sharing to the North, leaving the North Central out of the contest.
“We think it would be difficult to wrestle power from Kwankwaso in 2031, should Obi win the election and keep to his promise to do a single term. That is why we decided to support President Tinubu based on the commitment our leaders were able to extract from him.”
OTHER VISITATIONS
The outcome of the brokered deal has started to yield fruits immediately. Leaders of associations from the MB, hitherto watching from the sidelines, have begun to throw their support behind the President’s re-election. One such group was a delegation of Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairmen, led by its chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab.
They paid a visit to the government and were received by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, at the weekend.
During the visit, Akume used the occasion to promote the administration, saying that it remained committed to promoting national unity, inclusive governance and equal opportunities for all Nigerians, irrespective of their religious or ethnic affiliations.
He maintained that every citizen must have a sense of belonging and the opportunity to contribute to national development, adding that the government recognised Nigeria’s diversity as a strength. According to him, competence, capacity and the ability to deliver results remain the guiding principles in appointments and governance. The SGF cited the religious and ethnic composition of the Federal Executive Council as evidence of the administration’s commitment to inclusive governance, insisting that the government was determined to ensure that Nigerians felt represented and valued in the affairs of the country.
He also underscored the importance of sustained engagement with religious institutions, describing constructive interaction with the Church as necessary for promoting national cohesion, peace and mutual understanding. Akume commended the Northern CAN delegation for the visit and reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining dialogue with Christian leaders on issues affecting the country.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for the SGF to outline some of the economic reforms and strategic interventions of the Bola Tinubu administration, particularly in infrastructure, the financial sector, education, healthcare and agriculture.
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On infrastructure, he highlighted ongoing road projects across the country, including those in Kaduna and Benue states, as well as the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Sokoto-Badagry road corridors. He said the projects were expected to improve connectivity, facilitate trade and stimulate economic activities by strengthening transportation links between communities and commercial centres.
On the financial sector, Akume disclosed that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves had risen to more than $55 billion, while identifying the unification of the foreign exchange windows by the Central Bank of Nigeria as a major policy measure aimed at stabilising the economy and strengthening investor confidence.
In education, he highlighted the establishment of additional universities and the introduction of student loans through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides financial support to eligible students pursuing higher education.
He also pointed to the development of specialised health centres to improve diagnostic services and strengthen healthcare delivery across the country.
On agriculture, the SGF said the Federal Government was pursuing plans to unlock four million hectares of land for agricultural production and construct 10 new dams as part of efforts to increase food production, strengthen food security and achieve food sovereignty by 2050.
Akume also defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, saying the policy had created fiscal space for increased financial allocations to state and local government councils.
He explained that the reform was intended to improve the business environment, promote economic growth and enable governments at all levels to channel more resources towards development priorities.
The SGF maintained that the administration remained focused on implementing reforms aimed at economic recovery, social inclusion and national development, while strengthening the collective responsibility of Nigerians in building a united country.
Earlier, Hayab said the delegation’s visit was aimed at strengthening engagement with the Federal Government and reaffirming the Church’s commitment to partnering with the government in promoting national development, peace and unity.
He pledged the prayers, support and solidarity of Christian leaders for the Tinubu administration, expressing the Church’s willingness to contribute to the country’s development through constructive engagement and advocacy.
Hayab also offered to assist the government in communicating its policies and achievements to Nigerians, particularly in addressing misconceptions, scepticism and misinformation surrounding its programmes.
He disclosed that the Church intended to use the forthcoming religious celebrations in December and January to sensitise its members on national progress and encourage constructive engagement with the government.
The CAN leader cited improvements in the road network in Kaduna State as an example of the administration’s achievements that could be brought to the attention of Nigerians. He said the Church was prepared to help its members understand government policies and interventions, while encouraging informed discussions about national development. However, Hayab stressed the need for sustained engagement between the government and religious leaders, particularly to ensure that the concerns, challenges and aspirations of citizens were conveyed directly to those in authority. He urged Akume to continue providing opportunities for Christian leaders to interact with government officials and contribute to policy discussions.
The CAN chairman assured the SGF that the Church would remain available to support national development through prayers, advocacy and constructive partnership, adding that religious institutions had an important role to play in promoting peace, unity and mutual understanding.
THEWILL gathered that more such visits will follow in the coming days before the election.
Amos Esele is the Editor of THEWILL Newspaper. He has over two decades of experience on the job.