Key northern stakeholders under the aegis of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and the National Political Consultative Group (NPCG) have begun moves to forge a united political front for the region ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The initiative will culminate in a “Northern Unity Summit” scheduled for early 2026, an event aimed at reviving regional solidarity reminiscent of the late Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello’s era of inclusiveness and collective purpose.
At an expanded NPCG meeting held on Saturday in Abuja, the Director-General of NEF, Prof. Doknan Sheni, said the North must urgently confront the internal and external forces undermining its unity if it intends to remain politically relevant.
Speaking on the theme “The Imperative of Northern Unity Ahead of 2027 Elections,” Prof. Sheni warned that Nigeria risked sliding deeper into ethno-religious fragmentation unless identity-based divisions were managed with sincerity and vision.
“If the North is to prepare and unite for the 2027 election, there must be massive enlightenment programmes among the electorate so that citizens vote based on ideology, principles and real manifestos of parties and candidates, not sentiments,” Sheni said.
He further stressed the need for credible elections and public confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging training for ad hoc staff and transparency in result transmission.
“INEC must build confidence in the populace in how elections are conducted and transmitted. They must ensure there is transparency in the process,” he said.
Sheni announced plans to convene a Northern Leaders’ Summit in the first quarter of 2026 to harmonize regional positions and draft a Northern Development Blueprint ahead of 2027. The summit, he said, would gather traditional rulers, governors, elders, and key political figures from all 19 northern states.
“For the North to unite towards the 2027 elections, there should be a summit of northern leaders to harmonize ideas and plan for the elections. The two major factors influencing voters; religion and ethnicity must be addressed,” he stated.
The NEF DG cautioned that external political actors might exploit northern disunity to weaken the region’s influence in national politics.
“There may be political interests by other Nigerians to exploit differences within northerners to gain inroads into the region,” Sheni warned.
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“If we permit these differences to be exploited by outsiders, we have agreed to be permanently divided. When northerners close ranks and begin to treat one another with respect and justice, most of the issues causing disunity will disappear.”
Prof. Sheni emphasized that a cohesive political front was vital for the North to negotiate equitable representation and influence national policy direction, especially in security and resource allocation.
He lamented that Northern Nigeria continues to bear the brunt of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and farmer-herder clashes, calling for stronger coordination among regional bodies such as the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Arewa Consultative Forum, and traditional rulers.
“These institutions must align their regional strategies for security and development,” he urged.
Sheni also called for renewed investment through the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialization Summit (NNIIS) to tackle unemployment and youth restiveness through public-private partnerships.
“If this succeeds, unemployment and youth restiveness will decrease significantly,” he said, adding that grassroots mobilization through youth groups and civil society organizations should be encouraged to demand better governance.
