2027: Northern group fires back at Obi, makes strong claim about Tinubu

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The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has strongly rejected the one-term pledge made by the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi.

ZINGTIE reports that the forum also delivered a harsh assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after three years in office.

The ACF, a socio-cultural and quasi-political body representing Northern interests, stated that Obi’s promise not only undermines democratic principles but is also unconstitutional.

The position of the forum has further intensified debates surrounding the NDC candidate’s commitment and its implications for regional politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

ZINGTIE reports that Obi had earlier promised to serve only a single four-year tenure if elected president in 2027, insisting that four years is enough for a committed leader to transform the nation positively.

Speaking during an interview on national television, the former Anambra State governor maintained that he would complete just one term and hand over power to the North, “even with a gun to my head.”

However, speaking with ZINGTIE on Sunday, the National Secretary of the ACF, Tukur Baba, described such promises as unnecessary.

According to him, “such a promise is totally unnecessary, even as a campaign material, it is still very unnecessary.

“Firstly, such a power shift is not a constitutional provision. It is a matter for political parties to decide. Another leading presidential candidate had mentioned that and that is not correct.

“Secondly, it is very undemocratic, we cannot be practicing democracy and are putting all kinds of road blocks. That is not democracy.

“Thirdly, when you are rotating power from one geo-political zone to another, tomorrow, it may become a religious affair, they will come out and say it is time for so so religion.

“We have at least four hundred ethnic groups in this country and three major religious groups. The more we stick to the power shift, the more we embrace division among us.

“Why will Peter Obi make such a promise? Supposing he becomes the president of Nigeria and performs excellently well in his first tenure, would it be fair for Nigerians, North or South, men or women to say Obi will not go again because he made promises even though he is good?

“By him promising one term means he is likely not going to do his best. He is being unfair to the electorates. All we need in this country is just good governance.

“We want accountability, fair representation and good welfare of the citizens. Welfare includes security, school, health and anti-corruption drives.

“If Peter Obi comes to power and after two years we begin to see results, it will be unfair for him to say he only wants four years.

“Imagine if in two years Obi is able to tame banditry, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups across the country, then he said he wants to leave after four years, that will be unfair to those who elected him.

“If I’m to sit down with Peter Obi, I will tell him, ‘you promised one term and then return power to another region, that is being irresponsible’.

“Until we abolish tribalism and region-based politics, we may not go far as a country. We are marching backwards in reverse order”.

ACF has no preferred presidential candidate

The forum’s spokesperson, however, clarified that the ACF has not endorsed any presidential aspirant, explaining that its responsibility is to analyze issues and allow Nigerians to make their own decisions.

According to him, the organization has “no tradition of coming out to support or oppose any candidate or political parties in the country openly.

“Rather, our job is to analyze and at the end of the day, allow the electorates to decide. Unlike other organizations in the country, we have over three hundred tribes in the North so we cannot afford to say that the North has one preferred candidate or party.

“However, the North has just one interest and the interest is different from the interest of any other citizens of the country and that is good governance, security and good economy”.

Tinubu’s government shambolic

The ACF also criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu, describing its performance as shambolic.

Tukur Baba, while speaking with ZINGTIE, said the President has failed to effectively address insecurity and also faulted the APC-led government over worsening economic hardship.

He lamented that killings, kidnappings and other activities linked to bandits and terrorists have “continued to spread” across different parts of the country.

He noted that if President Tinubu “is doing well, the impact would have been felt but the issue has continued to expand until the Americans came recently.

“Bello Tunji is still in the North East, bragging on social media. Tinubu reshuffled security architecture yet no results. 

“Has he ever ordered any of the security chiefs ‘bring me the head of so so bandit or terrorist dead or alive?’

“Tinubu has isolated the Aso Villa from the national grid but you and I are paying for power that we did not see.

“Prices of things are going up yet we have taxes everywhere. They keep bragging of low taxes for lower income earners but even razor blade that you buy, there is VAT in it.

“The Lagos-Calabar highway, we don’t know what is happening there, the so-called Lagos-Sokoto road, how much of it has been done? Where is the progress? Tinubu and his group, who asked for democracy are the ones sabotaging the principles of democracy today.

“The middle class has been totally wiped out. I am terribly disappointed in President Tinubu. This regime has taken more loans than all the previous governments put together and you and I are going to pay for it.

“So, generally, I will say the performance has been shambolic. 

“Has their policies impacted citizens, oh, yes, but negatively”.

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