The North Central Agenda has endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, expressing confidence that the President will secure an overwhelming mandate in the North Central during the 2027 presidential election.
The socio-political group said its endorsement was based on what it described as the Tinubu administration’s investments in infrastructure, security, agriculture and education, which it claimed had transformed the region under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the North Central Development Conference on the Renewed Hope Agenda in Abuja, the Convener of the group, Dr Ene Lilian Ogbole, said the region had moved from years of neglect to a period of visible development.
She said before Tinubu assumed office, the North Central struggled with poor infrastructure, insecurity and socio-economic challenges that hindered growth.
Ogbole described the North Central as a strategic voting bloc, adding that the spread of federal projects and appointments had restored public confidence in the Federal Government.
She said the President had demonstrated political courage by implementing difficult reforms and executing projects aimed at repositioning the region for sustainable development.
According to her, ongoing projects include the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Kogi–Nasarawa–Abuja Super Highway, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway passing through Niger and Kwara states, the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Maiduguri Highway, the Suleja–Minna Dual Carriageway, the Lokoja–Okene dualisation and the Makurdi–Aliade–Otukpo Road.
Ogbole also praised increased investments in education through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, saying more students now had access to financial support while industrial disputes in public tertiary institutions had reduced.
She further said improved security operations had enabled many farmers to return to their farms, reviving economic activities across the region.
> “The North Central has witnessed a remarkable shift from neglect to recognition. Today, our people can see tangible infrastructure, improved security and policies deliberately targeted at improving livelihoods across the region.
> “As the collective voice of the North Central, we are fully committed to mobilising massively across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu secures an overwhelming mandate in 2027.
> “For us, this is beyond politics. It is about consolidating the gains already recorded. We are confident that the people of the North Central will stand firmly behind President Tinubu because they have seen results,” she said.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by his Senior Assistant on Technical Matters, Prof Babatunde Bolaji Benard, said the Tinubu administration was implementing reforms designed to guarantee Nigeria’s long-term prosperity.
He acknowledged that some policies might not yield immediate benefits but insisted they were necessary to rebuild the economy and lay the foundation for sustainable national development.
Benard described the student loan scheme as one of the administration’s landmark achievements, saying it had expanded access to higher education for ordinary Nigerians.
He also highlighted ongoing investments in major road infrastructure, including the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, which he said would stimulate irrigation, agriculture, water supply and rural development.
He urged Nigerians to support leaders focused on building enduring infrastructure capable of transforming the nation’s economy.
Also speaking, an APC chieftain from Benue State, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, commended Tinubu for efforts to improve security in the state and expressed confidence that the President would enjoy massive support from Benue voters in 2027.
The Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group, Dr Umar Tanko Yakasai, dismissed renewed criticism of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Yakasai argued that the issue had been settled during the 2023 presidential election, maintaining that governance, performance and inclusive development—not religion—would shape voters’ decisions in the 2027 polls.
The conference attracted delegates and stakeholders from Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
