The Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders Forum (NNYLF) on Monday formally declared its support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, unveiling a N200 million fund to purchase the President’s nomination form when it becomes available.
The declaration was made at a high-level youth leadership and stakeholders’ engagement held in, Abuja, which brought together youth leaders, professionals, political stakeholders, and traditional representatives from across the 19 northern states, as well as participants from the diaspora.
Speaking at the event, the National Leader of the Forum, Gamji Murtala, said the decision to support President Tinubu was reached unanimously by northern youth leaders, with the backing of the Forum’s Board of Trustees (BoT), grand patrons and allied support groups.
“This is a decision with unanimous agreement of the entire Northern Nigeria youth leadership, with the support of our BoTs, our grand patrons and other leaders,” Murtala said. “We have decided to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with ₦200 million under the custody of our BoTs and leaders. When the nomination form is out, we will purchase it for Mr. President for his second term.”
Murtala said the endorsement was anchored on the principle of national unity and political continuity, noting what he described as an understanding on power rotation between the North and South. According to him, the South should be allowed to complete its eight years in office before power returns to the North.
“We believe in the unity of Nigeria and in the agreement that the South should complete its eight years before the North comes in,” he said, adding that northern youths would stand by President Tinubu as he completes a second term.
He noted that the diversity of participants at the event reflected broad-based support for the President across religious, ethnic and political lines.
“We have all tribal leaders here, Muslims and Christians, from across the 19 northern states. Even leaders from the South, South-East and South-South are here,” he said.
The NNYLF leader also cited achievements of the Tinubu administration in key sectors such as security, agriculture and infrastructure as reasons for the endorsement. He said projects across different parts of the country, from Sokoto to Badagry and from Bauchi through Taraba, Benue, Kaduna and Kano, demonstrated the administration’s commitment to national development.
Murtala expressed confidence that President Tinubu would secure significant electoral support from the North in 2027, insisting that northern voters value fairness, continuity and reciprocal political support.
The event also featured the adoption of a communiqué in which the Forum formally endorsed President Tinubu for a second term in office “in the interest of policy continuity, reform consolidation and long-term national development.”
In the communiqué, jointly signed by Murtala and the Director of Operations, Dr Agbana John, the Forum resolved to mobilise youths across Northern Nigeria in a coordinated, peaceful and issue-based manner, while rejecting violence, misinformation and divisive narratives.
The Forum also announced the institutionalisation of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Platform, which it described as a strategic network for grassroots mobilisation, policy advocacy, leadership development and community engagement.
Calling for broader collaboration, the NNYLF urged public institutions to deepen youth-inclusive governance frameworks and appealed to development partners and the private sector to work with credible youth-led organisations to scale youth-focused initiatives.