Tension Rises As CNG Rejects Ganduje’s Call For North To Drop 2027 Presidential Bid

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has strongly criticized the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, for urging northern politicians to shelve their presidential ambitions until 2031 to allow President Bola Tinubu to complete two terms in office.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a statement issued on Thursday, CNG National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, described Ganduje’s comments as “deeply troubling and disappointing,” accusing him of prioritizing personal interests over the well-being of the northern region.

ACF Clarifies Its Position

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) also addressed the issue, with its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, clarifying that his earlier remarks were his personal opinion and did not reflect the official stance of the ACF.

“I spoke in my personal capacity, not as the National Publicity Secretary of ACF. The ACF has not convened to deliberate on this issue and does not take partisan positions,” he stated in a follow-up message to Punch.

CNG Challenges Ganduje’s Loyalty to National Progress

In its statement, the CNG questioned whether Ganduje was truly satisfied with Nigeria’s current economic and security challenges, accusing him of placing personal benefits above national interest.

“We find it extremely troubling that Ganduje has distanced himself from the harsh realities of Nigeria today. Is he comfortable with the extreme poverty, soaring inflation, worsening insecurity, erratic power supply, failing education standards, and a crumbling healthcare system?” the group asked.

The CNG further demanded to know whether Ganduje believed Nigeria’s deteriorating economy was acceptable and if he was suggesting that despite all these failures, President Tinubu should automatically be granted a second term.

Calls for Leadership Based on Competence, Not Regional Loyalty

The group insisted that Ganduje, as an elder statesman, should advocate for leadership based on competence, integrity, and respect for the rule of law rather than regional loyalty.

“We categorically reject Ganduje’s stance and urge Nigerians to choose their leaders based on competency, capability, integrity, and adherence to the rule of law,” the statement concluded.