By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
A newly unveiled socio-political platform, Nigeria Forward (NF), has called on political stakeholders in Northern Nigeria to respect the established practice of power rotation between the North and South and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027.
The group made the call on Friday in Abuja during its formal unveiling, where it outlined its objectives of promoting national unity, citizen participation, inclusive governance and continuity in public policy.
Speaking at the event, Co-Convener of Nigeria Forward and Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, said the platform was established as a national movement with membership drawn from different parts of the country.
Waiya argued that the rotation of presidential power between the two regions since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 had helped manage regional competition and promote political balance.
He appealed to Northern political leaders and stakeholders not to seek a return to the presidency in 2027 after only one term of the current administration.
According to him, allowing Tinubu, who is from the South, to complete two terms would preserve the principle of rotation and give the administration additional time to consolidate its policies and programmes.
“The North should not be unfair to the South,” Waiya said, arguing that the North had previously benefited from an eight-year presidential tenure under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the argument for continuity should, however, not distract attention from the economic and security challenges confronting Northern Nigeria.
Waiya maintained that addressing poverty and underdevelopment required contributions from citizens, federal and state governments, local authorities and other stakeholders.
He described democracy as a social contract and said Nigeria Forward intended to serve as a link between government and citizens by encouraging bottom-to-top engagement.
State Police, Local Government Autonomy
The Kano commissioner also highlighted some of the Federal Government’s reforms, including local government financial autonomy and efforts towards the establishment of state police.
He disclosed that Kano State had constituted a committee to examine the implementation of state police, saying the initiative could create employment opportunities and strengthen security if effectively implemented.
Waiya stressed that the platform was not established as the property of any political party, describing it as a movement intended to engage Nigerians across political and regional lines.
Udeh: Development Must Translate To Jobs
Also speaking, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology and Co-Convener of Nigeria Forward, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, said the group would focus on explaining government policies and assessing their impact on citizens.
Udeh said Nigeria’s development should be assessed beyond political slogans and isolated announcements, urging citizens to examine the location of projects, the problems they are designed to address and the people expected to benefit.
He cited roads, rail infrastructure, energy and digital connectivity as areas where government investments should translate into measurable benefits for citizens.
According to him, roads should facilitate the movement of farmers and goods to markets, while railways should reduce the cost of transporting people and commodities.
He summarised the administration’s development trajectory as: “Reform to infrastructure, infrastructure to connectivity, connectivity to production, production to jobs and jobs to prosperity.”
Udeh also called on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, saying continuity would allow the administration to consolidate its ongoing reforms and development initiatives.
He urged members of Nigeria Forward to base their activities on evidence, inclusiveness, innovation and national unity.
The movement’s message, “Together We Move Nigeria Forward,” he said, should translate into responsible citizenship, service to the country and constructive participation in national development.
The unveiling of Nigeria Forward comes as political discussions ahead of the 2027 presidential election increasingly focus on zoning, power rotation, governance and the performance of the Tinubu administration.
