A coalition of prominent northern political leaders, including former governors, serving and former senators, ministers and key stakeholders, has concluded plans to formally unveil a political mobilisation platform, Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The group, which described itself as the organised northern vanguard for Tinubu’s second-term campaign, said it would operate across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through a comprehensive leadership structure designed to mobilise support for the President ahead of the next general election.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Head of Media Relations of A4A, Edwin Olofu, the movement has constituted a 14-member Board of Trustees (BoT) chaired by former Kano State Governor and former Minister of Education, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.
Former Yobe State Governor and Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Geidam, and former Plateau State Governor and Senator representing Plateau South, Simon Bako Lalong, will serve as deputy chairmen of the board.
Other members of the BoT include Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Senator Joshua Dariye, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (rtd), Senator Aliyu Wamakko, Isa Yuguda, Rev. Jolly Nyame, Senator Atiku Bagudu, Yahaya Bello, Aishatu Dukku, Binta Ibrahim and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who will serve as Secretary of the board.
The group also named Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, as Director-General of the National Directorate, with responsibility for coordinating campaign activities across the northern states and the FCT.
Former Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema; former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; and former House of Representatives spokesman, Abdulrazaq Namdas, were appointed Deputy National Coordinators for the North-West, North-Central and North-East zones respectively.
A4A further announced the appointment of heads of various directorates to drive mobilisation efforts in key sectors, including finance, logistics, media, youth affairs, business and professional groups, religious organisations, civil society, academia, students, women and traditional institutions.
Among those appointed are Dr Bala Wunti (Finance and Resource Mobilisation), Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura (Operations and Logistics), Abdulaziz Abdulaziz (Communications and Media Strategy), Ismail Ahmed (Mobilisation), Engr. Abba Aliyu (Youth Affairs), Senator Sani Musa (Business Community and Professionals), and Mallam Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammed (Religious Community).
Others are Khalil Suleiman Halilu (ICT and Situation Room), veteran Nollywood actor Ali Nuhu (Creative and Entertainment Industry), Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar (Traditional Institutions Liaison), Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim (Women Mobilisation), and Prof. Umar Adam Katsayal (Academic Community Mobilisation).
The organisation also appointed former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, as Secretary of the Secretariat, with Aliyu Abdullahi Tanko as her deputy.
To strengthen grassroots mobilisation, A4A announced state coordinators for all 19 Northern states and the FCT, including Emmanuel Jime for Benue, Yakubu Dati for Plateau, Ahmed Maiyaki for Kaduna, Abdullahi T. Gwarzo for Kano, Mohammed Yahaya Kuta for Niger and Shitu Mohammed Kabir for the FCT, among others.
The group said a formal unveiling ceremony would take place in Abuja in the coming days, after which zonal and state-level inaugurations would be conducted.
The emergence of A4A is expected to add momentum to early political realignments and mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as supporters of President Tinubu begin consolidating structures across different parts of the country.
