Student leaders representing tertiary institutions across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have thrown their weight behind President Bola Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential race. The announcement came on Tuesday during the inauguration of the students’ wing of a group called Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A).
Abdulmudallib Sheriff, who is the coordinator of this new A4A students’ wing and also the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) at Bayero University, Kano, stated that their endorsement is a direct result of the Tinubu administration's interventions in education, particularly in areas like student financing, skills acquisition, and youth empowerment. He made it clear that their support isn't just a show of hands; it's organised and ready for action. "We will take this message to our campuses and communities. We will mobilise, communicate, and organise," Sheriff declared.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, who was present at the event, echoed Sheriff's sentiments. He linked the students' endorsement to what he called Tinubu’s “giant strides” in critical sectors such as education, infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture. Sani specifically highlighted the administration’s focus on education and technical skills as especially vital for the northern region. He pointed to initiatives like the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as evidence of this commitment.
Governor Sani stressed that empowering young people academically must go hand-in-hand with providing them with better economic and digital opportunities. He provided a striking statistic: "Available programme data indicate that Northern Nigeria accounts for over 60 per cent of beneficiaries under key interventions. That is measurable impact." He added a strong caution to the student leaders: "We cannot meaningfully empower young Nigerians politically while leaving them educationally, economically and digitally excluded." He also advised them to base their campaign efforts on the president's achievements, rather than resorting to personal attacks against opponents. "Do not campaign with insults; campaign with evidence. Do not answer criticism with abuse; answer it with facts," Sani urged.
Muhammad Abubakar, the Director-General of the main Arewa for Asiwaju movement, expressed confidence that the administration's track record would be the cornerstone of their campaign for Tinubu's re-election. He affirmed that students across the North are prepared to rally behind the president. "President Tinubu has already delivered, and the record speaks for itself. The students of Arewa are ready to stand with President Tinubu. We are ready to mobilise, organise, engage, and deliver," Abubakar stated. This move by the students follows similar endorsements for Tinubu's re-election from other groups in the North, including lecturers and women Ulama.