The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has criticised calls that no member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should challenge President Bola Tinubu for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
According to the northern socio-political group, such proposals undermine democratic principles and contradict the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking to BBC Hausa in Kaduna, ACF spokesperson Prof Tukur Muhammad Baba emphasised that every Nigerian has the legal right to contest for any political office, irrespective of region, if they meet the conditions set by electoral laws.
“As long as democracy is in practice and the Constitution remains operational, it sets out the conditions any citizen must fulfil before vying for office,” Baba said.
“By law, every Nigerian, not just from a particular zone, who meets the criteria laid down by the electoral commission can contest any position, including the presidency.”
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He added that although ACF is not a political party, it has a responsibility to comment on governance and national political issues. Baba urged APC to promote open competition rather than limiting the contest to a single aspirant.
In response, APC’s Director of Publicity, Malam Bala Ibrahim, acknowledged that while the Constitution guarantees every qualified Nigerian the right to run for office, political parties have the discretion to support candidates of their choice.
“There is no question about it, the Constitution allows any qualified Nigerian to contest. But a political party also has its own preferences. Parties rally behind candidates they believe best represent their interests,” he said.
Ibrahim added, “That does not mean others will be stopped from trying. Anyone who qualifies can campaign. But at the end of the day, the party will screen and choose who it considers most suitable.”