{"id":7746,"date":"2025-05-07T19:51:08","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T19:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/?p=7746"},"modified":"2025-05-07T19:51:08","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T19:51:08","slug":"2027-presidency-north-cant-decide-alone-yakassai-warns-amid-electoral-integrity-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/07\/2027-presidency-north-cant-decide-alone-yakassai-warns-amid-electoral-integrity-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"2027 Presidency: North Can\u2019t Decide Alone, Yakassai Warns Amid Electoral Integrity Concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yakassai, ACF Dismiss Northern Solo Influence As Stakeholders Decry Threats to Electoral Credibility<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elder statesman and former liaison officer to President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai<\/strong>, has cautioned that the North alone cannot determine the outcome<\/strong> of Nigeria\u2019s 2027 presidential election, emphasizing the need for national consensus and cross-regional collaboration in selecting the country\u2019s next leader.<\/p>\n

Responding to recent remarks by Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed<\/strong>, a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, Yakassai insisted that while the North remains influential due to its population, no region holds the power to unilaterally elect a president in a country with such diverse demographics and constitutional thresholds.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cPresidential elections are national affairs. The North alone cannot make a president; neither can the South,\u201d said Yakassai, 99. \u201cIt takes a popular, well-funded, and widely accepted candidate to win in today\u2019s political climate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

ACF Distances Itself from Regional Rhetoric<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF)<\/strong> also distanced itself from Baba-Ahmed\u2019s claims, describing them as personal opinions rather than organizational positions. Its spokesperson, Prof. Tukur Mohammed Baba<\/strong>, reiterated that Nigeria\u2019s constitutional provisions require broad, national support<\/strong> for any presidential aspirant.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cNo one becomes president through regional votes alone. Nigerians must vote freely and without manipulation,\u201d Prof. Baba stated.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The ACF noted that its primary interest is ensuring electoral fairness, regardless of region, and that 2027\u2019s outcome will be determined by voter choice\u2014if free from interference.<\/p>\n

\n

Election Integrity Under Threat, Stakeholders Warn<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Meanwhile, electoral stakeholders at a policy dialogue in Abuja have raised alarm over the erosion of electoral integrity<\/strong>, linking it to widespread poverty, restricted civic freedoms, and increased voter manipulation.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the event hosted by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD)<\/strong> and Women\u2019s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA)<\/strong>, with support from the MacArthur Foundation<\/strong>, experts expressed concern that Nigeria\u2019s democracy is under strain.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWith over 133 million Nigerians in multidimensional poverty, we face significant threats to free and fair elections,\u201d said Monday Osasah<\/strong>, Executive Director of Centre LSD.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He added that electoral malpractices such as vote-buying<\/strong> and the exploitation of vulnerable populations<\/strong> have become systemic issues that distort democratic choices.<\/p>\n

\n

Security, Poverty, and Civic Freedom Central to 2027 Credibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Traditional ruler Alhaji Sani Jabbi<\/strong>, District Head of Gagi in Sokoto, stressed that insecurity<\/strong> remains a major barrier to voter participation, warning that credible elections are impossible if whole communities are disenfranchised by violence or fear.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhen parts of the population can\u2019t vote due to insecurity, democracy suffers. That\u2019s not justice,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

WRAPA\u2019s Secretary-General Saudatu Mahdi<\/strong> added that poverty, civic repression, and electoral malpractice form a dangerous trio that could derail Nigeria\u2019s next general elections if not addressed urgently.<\/p>\n

\n

Looking Ahead: A Call for National Unity and Electoral Reform<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With political tensions rising ahead of the 2027 elections, Yakassai\u2019s and ACF\u2019s call for national unity<\/strong> in leadership selection contrasts sharply with divisive regional rhetoric. At the same time, stakeholders emphasize the urgent need for reforms<\/strong> to protect civic space and restore confidence in Nigeria\u2019s democratic process.<\/p>\n

As Nigeria inches closer to another critical election cycle, ensuring integrity, inclusion, and unity will be key to electing a leader who truly represents the will of all Nigerians\u2014not just one region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yakassai, ACF Dismiss Northern Solo Influence As Stakeholders Decry Threats to Electoral Credibility Elder statesman and former liaison officer to President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, has cautioned that the North alone cannot determine the outcome of Nigeria\u2019s 2027 presidential election, emphasizing the need for national consensus and cross-regional collaboration in selecting the country\u2019s next […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Yakassai rejects regional dominance in 2027 elections as experts warn that poverty, insecurity threaten electoral integrity nationwide.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35,36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-politics"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7746"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7746"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7746\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7750,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7746\/revisions\/7750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}