Willies Ugo, Gombe

A socio-political group, Forward Nigeria, has kicked off its political advocacy campaign with a call on Northern Nigeria political stakeholders to respect the gentleman power shift arrangement between the North and South.

Co-Convener of the group, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, who is also the Kano State Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, made the call at the formal unveiling of the group held at Barcelona Hotel Abuja, over the weekend.

Membership of Forward Nigeria cuts across all parts of Nigeria and Comrade Ibrahim Waiya said the group is of the view that since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance in 1999, the North-South power rotation has been maintained between the two regions with a view to fostering national unity and even development across the country.

The group is therefore urging political stakeholders in the North to respect the principle of power rotation and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to complete the eight-year presidential tenure before the North seeks to reclaim power.

According to Comrade Waiya, returning the presidency to the North after only one term would undermine the principle of power rotation and risk reopening sectional tensions that have historically shaped Nigeria’s presidential politics.

Waiya argued that the North should not seek to claim presidency in 2027 after only four years of the current administration, insisting that allowing Tinubu to complete the eight years would provide political continuity and give his Government time to consolidate its policies, programmes and projects initiated for the overall progress and developmentof Nigeria.

He urged Northern political stakeholders to place the broader principle of national balance above immediate electoral calculations saying, “Nigerians should focus on governance and development rather than allowing the 2027 contest to revive sectional divisions”.

Waiya said, “the Tinubu administration inherited enormous economic and security challenges in 2023 and had since introduced measures which, were putting the country on a different trajectory”.

He cited Local Government autonomy, increased financial resources accruing to sub-national Governments and moves towards establishing State police structures as reforms that could strengthen governance and security.

Waiya disclosed that Kano State had already established a State Police implementation committee, which he added could contribute to job creation and improved security when fully implemented.

Waiya described “Nigeria Forward” as a bridge between policy and people as well as a platform for bottom to top citizens engagement insisting that the NF was not owned by any particular political party but has been dedicated to all Nigerians.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology and co-convener of the movement, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, said the Federal Government’s reforms were designed to move Nigeria from infrastructure and connectivity to production, jobs and prosperity.

He said Nigeria’s development story, particularly in the North, should not be reduced to political slogans, urging citizens to examine what was being built, where projects were located, the problems they were solving and who stood to benefit.

Tochukwu Udeh said infrastructure should be judged by its practical impact, noting that roads should connect farmers to markets while railways should reduce the cost of transporting goods. He identified energy and digital connectivity as important to expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.

He described the administration’s development trajectory as “reform to infrastructure, infrastructure to connectivity, connectivity to production, production to jobs and jobs to prosperity,” and called on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 to consolidate the reforms.

He urged Nigeria Forward members to make evidence, inclusiveness, innovation and national unity the foundation of their activities, saying the platform’s message of “Together We Move Nigeria Forward” should translate into a commitment to service, citizenship and national development.

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By Our Political Correspondent

The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has intensified its political mobilisation in Gombe State, with the party’s 2027 governorship candidate, Dr. Lamela L. Silas, PhD, and his running mate, Alhaji Wadaji Umar Lawan, rallying support for the party’s candidate in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency bye-election, Hon. Gaddafi Haruna.

The APM leaders, while engaging voters and supporters in the constituency, described the party as an alternative platform capable of addressing the concerns of residents, while urging electorates to support its candidate in the September 19 House of Representatives bye-election.

The party’s message centred on what its leaders described as the need for better representation, grassroots development and responsive leadership across the three local government areas.

Hon. Gaddafi Haruna is the APM candidate for the federal constituency and has campaigned on the platform of “Time for Better Representation.” He was presented by the party as its consensus candidate during its electoral process in Gombe.

Addressing supporters, Dr. Lamela Silas and Alhaji Wadaji Umar Lawan called on voters to identify with the APM candidate, saying the party represents the aspirations of people seeking a stronger voice in the National Assembly.

They said the election provides an opportunity for voters in Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas to choose a representative who, in their view, would give greater attention to constituency interests.

Their appeal came as voters across the constituency participated in the bye-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday.

INEC scheduled the election for September 19, 2026, following the death of the former representative of the constituency, Hon. Yaya Bauchi Tongo. The commission said the election covers 903 polling units across 31 Registration Areas in the three local government areas.

The APM’s Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye candidate, Gaddafi Haruna, was among the candidates cleared for the contest by INEC. Other candidates on the final list included Kallamu Usman Maijama’a of the APC, Yaya Alfa Muhammad of the APP and Abdulkarim Abdulmajib of the NNPP.

Haruna’s campaign has focused on improving representation and constituency development. A profile released ahead of the election described him as a former banker who later worked in the energy sector and became involved in community mobilisation and development initiatives.

For Dr. Silas and his deputy, the mobilisation for Haruna also places the APM’s emerging political structure in Gombe under public scrutiny as the party positions itself ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The duo emerged as the APM’s Gombe governorship ticket in August, with the party highlighting their backgrounds in public administration, finance, agriculture and youth mobilisation.

The September 19 bye-election has attracted significant political attention, with nearly 496,000 registered voters across the constituency expected to participate in determining who will occupy the vacant House of Representatives seat.

As voting progressed on Saturday, reports indicated that the exercise was generally peaceful, although varying levels of voter turnout were observed in some locations.

The APM leadership urged its supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding throughout the electoral process, while expressing confidence in the party’s candidate.

With polling concluded, attention now shifts to the counting and collation of results, which will determine whether the APM’s campaign message of “better representation” translates into victory for Gaddafi Haruna at the polls.

By Our Political Correspondent

Alhaji Lawan Yusuf, Chairman of the Rice Millers’ Association of Gombe State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has cast his vote in the ongoing Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency bye-election.

Yusuf, who is also the Director-General of the campaign organisation for Gombe South State House of Assembly candidate, Hon. Jabiru Saleh Kilawa, voted on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Kadiri Maitaburma 004 Polling Unit, Bolari West, Gombe Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Speaking after casting his ballot, Yusuf expressed confidence in the electoral process and said he expected the APC candidate for the federal constituency, Engineer Hon. Kallamu Usman Maijama’a, to emerge victorious.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cleared Kallamu Usman Maijama’a of the APC alongside four other candidates for the bye-election, which is being conducted across Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas.

Yusuf commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for what he described as providing the “dividends of democracy” to the people of Gombe State.

He also called on residents of the state to sustain their support for the APC, urging voters to support APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.

The APC chieftain said the participation of citizens in the electoral process remained important to strengthening democracy, while expressing optimism that the exercise would be concluded peacefully.

The Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye bye-election is taking place across 903 polling units in 31 registration areas covering the three local government areas. INEC scheduled the election for September 19, 2026, following the death of the former occupant of the federal constituency seat.

Security agencies have also deployed personnel across the affected areas to safeguard voters, electoral officials and materials. The Gombe State Police Command said it had put measures in place to ensure the peaceful conduct of the election and warned against political thuggery, fake news and other activities capable of disrupting the exercise.

Yusuf’s vote at the Bolari West polling unit comes as political parties and their supporters await the outcome of the closely watched contest, which has attracted attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.