Cynthia Ezegwu
A former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, on Wednesday sought the support of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to rally northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging regional elders to help rebuild national unity and purpose.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the ACF Secretariat in Abuja, Adebayo said his mission was motivated not by partisanship but patriotism, adding that Nigeria must hold a “national conversation before politics takes over.”
The SDP chieftain identified three key issues he described as “national soul-searching”: the North’s role in Nigeria’s future, the absence of long-term development planning, and the need to entrust the country’s future to a new generation of patriotic young Nigerians.
“After leaving office, a seemingly wise person just becomes immediately confused. If you look at those who are in office now, even though I ran against them and thought we would do better, they are abysmal,” Adebayo said.
He lamented that Nigeria had abandoned its early culture of development planning for what he called “episodic governance,” noting that key projects conceived decades ago — such as the Ajaokuta Steel Plant, major dams, and highways — remain uncompleted.
According to him, resolving Nigeria’s problems requires mutual understanding between the North and other regions. “If we understand the North well in politics, and if the North understands us, we would have solved the majority of Nigeria’s problems,” he said, decrying rising insecurity and the growing influence of religion in public affairs.
Adebayo called on the ACF to use its “soft power” to help reorient Nigeria’s political discourse toward inclusiveness and accountability. “We will give a government that is incorruptible, one that provides services. Ministers will be accountable. Our alliance is to Nigeria first,” he pledged.
In his response, the ACF Board of Trustees Chairman, Bashir Dalhatu, commended Adebayo’s patriotism and depth of thought, saying the forum shared many of his views.
“Your desire for nation-building is well known. I am amazed at how many points you’ve mentioned that I share completely. Nigeria needs people who think in a united manner,” Dalhatu said.
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He explained that while the ACF remains non-partisan, it is open to engaging with political leaders who share its commitment to unity and development. “No group alone can solve Nigeria’s problems. We need to cooperate with those who can assist the country. Our doors are open, transparent, and committed to consolidating brotherhood across Nigeria,” he added.
The development comes barely four months after Dalhatu publicly decried what he described as the growing marginalisation of Northern Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking at a high-level session organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, Dalhatu had expressed concern that despite the North contributing over 64 per cent of Tinubu’s total votes in the 2023 election, key appointments, projects, and policy priorities had largely excluded the region.
He urged the President to take “strong, audacious, and sustained” measures to address insecurity, banditry, and unemployment, warning that the North’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness.