Former Kogi governor insists northern voters are not united against Tinubu, cites Kogi State as example of support for president
By Yahaya Idris, Abuja
Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has disagreed with the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) over its position on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, insisting that the forum’s spokesman, Hakeem Baba Ahmed, cannot speak for him or other northern political leaders.
Bello made the remarks during an interview on TVC News on Sunday, October 18, 2026, while responding to contrasting positions between the Arewa for Asiwaju group, which maintains that Tinubu enjoys considerable support in the North, and the Northern Elders Forum, whose spokesman has expressed opposition to the president’s re-election prospects in the region.
The former governor, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and coordinator of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council in the North-Central region, acknowledged Baba Ahmed as a respected northern leader but rejected the suggestion that northern voters would collectively oppose Tinubu in the next presidential election.
“Our elder statesman, Hakeem Baba Ahmed, is somebody that I personally respect so much, a respected leader in the North. But I beg to differ from his assertion,” Bello said.
Bello Cites Kogi as Example of Northern Support for Tinubu
Explaining his position, Bello pointed to Kogi State, which is part of Nigeria’s North-Central geopolitical zone, arguing that the position attributed to the Northern Elders Forum does not reflect the views of every northern state or political constituency.
“Let me take myself, for example. Kogi State is part of the North, and Kogi State is not part of those who say that the North will not vote for Mr President,” he stated.
Bello’s remarks underscore the political differences among northern stakeholders ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with competing groups seeking to demonstrate the extent of support for Tinubu across the region.
He maintained that the political views of one individual or organisation should not be interpreted as the collective position of northern political leaders, particularly those who have openly declared their support for the president.
‘Baba Hakeem Ahmed Cannot Speak for Me’ — Bello
Reiterating his disagreement with Baba Ahmed, the former governor said several political leaders from across the northern states had aligned themselves in support of Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“Baba Hakeem Ahmed cannot speak for me. I am taking myself, for example, and I can as well say the same of all the leaders that have come together from every state, all the 19 northern states, including the FCT,” Bello said.
His statement highlights the emerging political contest over northern support ahead of the 2027 general election, as pro-Tinubu groups work to consolidate their influence while other political voices question the president’s electoral prospects in the region.
https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/five-feared-dead-as-tanker-crushes-four-micra-cars-in-ibadan/
Although Bello expressed confidence in the support of northern political stakeholders backing Tinubu, the extent of that support among voters will ultimately be determined by political developments and the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
The disagreement between Bello and the Northern Elders Forum adds to the growing debate over the North’s political direction as parties and campaign organisations intensify consultations ahead of the next general election.