The North Shekarau Claims to Speak For Does Not Exist
By Hassan Husaini, mni Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano State, recently declared that the entire North is solidly behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. He made this declaration under the banner of a group called “Arewa for Asiwaju” (A4A), flanked by other former governors and political associates from the All Progressives […]
Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, a former governor of Kano State, recently claimed that the entire North of Nigeria supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 under the banner of “Arewa for Asiwaju” (A4A). However, Shekarau's claim is problematic because it overlooks the real challenges faced by millions of people in the North.
The North is not a monolithic entity with shared interests; it consists of diverse communities, each grappling with unique struggles. For example, the farmer in Zamfara cannot access his farmland due to banditry, while the mother in Borno mourns the loss of her child among the 5.5 million people the World Food Programme cannot reach with assistance.
The trader in Mubi faces skyrocketing petrol prices, and the young man in Katsina watches as his community mourns victims of attacks that the government fails to address. The North Shekarau speaks for is the North of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defined by political power and networks of former governors and senators. While they are entitled to form a political campaign group and support whoever they choose, they should not claim that their preferences represent the entire region.
The data tells a different story. The World Food Programme reports that 36.3 million Nigerians are acutely food insecure, with the crisis particularly severe in northern states. Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2026 documents a rise in abductions in the Northwest, with over 60 percent of all reported incidents nationwide. These pressing issues overshadow any political rhetoric about unity and support.
Former governors and political heavyweights gathered under the A4A umbrella may have every right to do so, but they do not have the authority to claim that their political preferences represent the collective will of nearly 100 million people. When basic conditions of survival deteriorate for millions, a list of infrastructure projects is merely a distraction.
The A4A group’s composition reveals the underlying issue: a reliance on past political authority rather than current mandates from the people they claim to represent. While they can compile a catalogue of infrastructure projects, it does not equate to addressing the urgent needs of the millions suffering. The role of a former governor who claims to represent the North should be one of listening and advocating for the people's genuine concerns, not imposing a political narrative that ignores their plight.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Trust's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
