Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago on Sunday, has explained why the North will vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
He said the President has lived to expectation by implementing his campaign promises.
Bago, who spoke on the state of the nation on Television Continental (TVC), said he is ready to be the campaign manager for President Tinubu because he has done a lot for the North and the country.
“As far as we are concerned, it is Asiwaju for 2027; there is no going back,” said Bago, who also emphasised the primacy of rotation.
He said it is proper for the South to retain power till 2031 in the spirit of zoning, equity and fairness.
In recent times, prominent northerners, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his Sokoto counterpart, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, said the North would not endorse the President for re-election.
But Bago said Nigerians would be shocked by the way the North would vote massively for the President.
The governor, who is a stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said the song waxed for the President is trending in the North, adding that the mobilisation is being intensified.
Bago said northern governors are able to embark on people-oriented developmental projects in their states because they now receive more allocations from the Federation Account.
He said: “I have made myself the director-general of the campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, and the headquarters of the campaign is here (Niger State). There is no going back about that.
“The President has the prerogative to appoint anybody as campaign manager, but as far as I am concerned, this is what our people are doing.”
The governor said the people of Niger State had decided to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in recognition of the principle of rotation, which gives the North and South a sense of belonging and fosters peaceful co-existence.
He stressed: “In Niger State, there is no dissenting voice. Nigeria is coexisting peacefully because we have decided to embrace a kind of rotation in governance; the North will do eight years, the South will do eight years.
“He (President Tinubu) is just two years in office and you are saying it should come back to the North. How? We had opportunities.
“So, we will continue to support the President; my people and my state, and we will also go to other states.”
Bago urged northerners, who aspire to rule the country, to wait till 2031 to realise their ambition.
He added: “When he (President) finishes his eight years, power will come to the North and northerners, who want to contest, can then contest.”