By Auwal Abdullah

The Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA), representing Ndigbo across the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, has said it is yet to adopt any presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Assembly said it was currently assessing the major presidential contenders, their programmes, policies, antecedents and commitments before deciding which candidate would best serve the interests and aspirations of Ndigbo.

The position followed reports claiming that the Igbo Political Movement of the Assembly had endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term and was targeting two million votes for him in the 2027 presidential election.

However, the IDA, in a statement signed by its President-General, Chief Kenneth Okeugo, and Secretary-General, Hon. Donatus Nwugo, categorically dissociated itself from the purported endorsement.

The Assembly said no individual, group or organisation had been authorised to commit it to any presidential candidate without the approval of its appropriate organs.

According to the leadership, the Assembly has constituted a committee, chaired by one of its Zonal Deputy President-Generals, to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the political landscape and evaluate the presidential candidates and their positions on issues affecting Ndigbo.

The committee’s report, it said, will be considered at the Assembly’s last Quarterly Meeting preceding the 2027 presidential election, after which a decision on whether to adopt or support a candidate will be taken.

The development effectively leaves open the political alignment of a significant bloc of Ndigbo resident in Northern Nigeria and the FCT as the 2027 election approaches.

The Assembly also rejected the reported two-million-vote target, describing it as a gross underestimation of the electoral strength and political value of Ndigbo across the North and FCT.

It warned against attempts to appropriate or present the votes of Ndigbo as already committed to any candidate without due consultation and authorisation.

The IDA urged Ndigbo and the general public to disregard reports suggesting that it had already chosen a presidential candidate, stressing that its eventual position would be guided by the candidate and political platform offering the most credible pathway to advancing the interests, security, unity, dignity and prosperity of Ndigbo.

By Auwal Ahmad Umar 

Gombe State Governor and Chairman of the Northern Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NNGF), Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has called for stronger collaboration between government and academics to develop knowledge-driven solutions to the security, education and socio-economic challenges confronting Northern Nigeria.

Alhaji Yahaya made the call during separate engagements with senior academics and women Ulamas from across Northern Nigeria held in Abuja at the weekend.

The engagements were organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Political and Other Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari, under the theme, “Consolidating the Renewed Hope Agenda: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Achievements and the Road to 2027.”

The meetings brought together hundreds of academics and women Islamic scholars to examine critical challenges facing the region and assess policies and interventions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Alhaji Yahaya, who is also the Secretary of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, said the North could not effectively address its complex challenges without tapping into the knowledge, research and experience of its intellectual community.

He identified insecurity, the growing number of out-of-school children, food security, vocational education, farmer-herder conflicts and peaceful coexistence as some of the areas requiring sustained attention and collective action.

On security, the governor acknowledged the challenges still confronting the region but said there had been gradual improvement since the Tinubu administration assumed office.

He urged stakeholders to deepen their partnership with government to consolidate the gains made and work towards achieving lasting peace.

Addressing the academics, Alhaji Yahaya stressed the importance of evidence-based approaches in tackling the out-of-school children crisis.

“We need to join our understanding with your perspective to deal with this situation,”

he said, urging scholars to deploy their research and expertise in developing sustainable solutions.

The governor also advocated greater attention to vocational and skills-based education, saying it could equip young Nigerians with practical skills, improve employability and create opportunities for self-reliance.

On peaceful coexistence, Alhaji Yahaya said the diversity of Northern Nigeria should be regarded as a strength rather than a source of division.

He called for stronger efforts to prevent and resolve farmer-herder conflicts, noting that peace was critical to agricultural productivity, economic growth and social stability in the region.

The governor also commended President Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Livestock Development, describing the initiative as a bold policy direction with the potential to transform the livestock sector and address longstanding farmer-herder disputes.

He urged stakeholders to support the initiative and contribute ideas that would enhance its success.

“We need to benefit from your knowledge,” Alhaji Yahaya told the academics, stressing the importance of intellectual contributions to national development.

At a separate engagement with women Ulamas, organised in collaboration with the Muslim Intellectual Forum, the governor commended the participants for their contributions to faith propagation, family values and community development.

He said women Islamic scholars had an important role to play in promoting peaceful coexistence, responsible parenting, moral values and social cohesion, particularly amid growing pressures on families and communities.

Alhaji Yahaya assured the participants that the consultations would be extended across the states of Northern Nigeria to deepen engagement, improve communication and strengthen mobilisation around the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Earlier, the convener of the engagements, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari, said the initiative was designed to provide a structured platform for government to continuously consult critical stakeholders on national development.

Alhaji Masari said the engagement with academics was not primarily political but aimed at harnessing their knowledge, experience and research to help address Nigeria’s challenges.

He said the government needed the “knowledge, expertise, research and other academic contributions” of scholars to develop sustainable solutions and chart a stronger development path for the country.

Alhaji Masari added that mechanisms would be developed to ensure regular consultation with academics on policy and national development issues.

The engagements were attended by political and government leaders, including the governors of Kaduna, Borno and Yobe states, former governors of Katsina and Zamfara states, serving ministers and other senior government officials.

Communiqués containing resolutions reached at the separate sessions were presented at the conclusion of the engagements.

By Auwal Umar, Gombe

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State has suffered another major political setback as several prominent chieftains have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Among the defectors is Hon. Hannatu Wakil, who served as PDP State Women Leader for eight years before becoming the party’s State Organising Secretary.

Explaining her decision to join the APC, Mrs Wakil said she was motivated by the need to support what she described as the good work of the present administration and contribute to efforts aimed at sustaining the state’s development.

She also expressed confidence in Dr Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna, the APC governorship candidate, saying she believes he has the capacity and leadership qualities required to take Gombe State forward. She said her decision was based on her conviction that supporting the administration and Dr Gwamna would be in the best interest of the people of the state.

Also joining the APC is Hon. Asabe Baba Nahaya, a former commissioner and former President of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), as well as former Special Adviser, Hon. Sarki Alban.

Hon. Yila Y. Mustafa, who contested the Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency seat under the PDP in the 2011 and 2015 elections, is also among the latest defectors.

The fresh defections come as political activities intensify across Gombe ahead of the 2027 elections, with the major parties working to strengthen their structures and expand their support bases.

The movement of the prominent PDP figures is expected to further reshape the political landscape in the state and increase pressure on the opposition party as the countdown to 2027 gathers momentum.