Northern Christian Youth Professionals Back Arewa Youth Inclusion Campaign, Rally Support for Tinubu 2027

Northern Christian Youth Professionals Back Arewa Youth Inclusion Campaign, Rally Support for Tinubu 2027

By: Michael Mike

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has thrown its weight behind the Arewa Youth Inclusion Advocacy Campaign, calling for broader participation of young people from the region in governance, political decision-making and national development.

The organisation, which describes itself as the first Christian political organisation to publicly endorse the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2023 election, said it would continue to promote political inclusion, dialogue and constructive engagement as the country moves towards another electoral cycle.

NCYP formally joined the coalition of the Arewa Democratic Stakeholders Forum at a National Leadership Council meeting, where the forum’s leadership also endorsed the Arewa Youth Inclusion Advocacy Campaign being championed by Comrade Haruna Sardauna.

The development brings the organisation into a broader coalition comprising more than 329 political support groups, faith-based organisations and civil society organisations operating under the umbrella of the Arewa Democratic Stakeholders Forum.

NCYP National Chairman, Isaac Abrak, who led the organisation’s meeting in Abuja, described the coalition as an important platform for bringing together diverse stakeholders to articulate the political, economic and developmental interests of the North while contributing to Nigeria’s democratic process.

Abrak told members that the Arewa Democratic Stakeholders Forum had commenced consultations and strategic engagements with Northern and national stakeholders, including senior officials of the Tinubu administration and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said the engagements were aimed at creating channels through which stakeholders could present their concerns to government and participate more meaningfully in discussions concerning governance and the country’s political future.

The NCYP chairman also revisited the organisation’s controversial decision to support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket in 2023 despite widespread opposition to the Muslim-Muslim presidential arrangement among sections of the Christian community.

“In early 2022, when many Christian bodies and stakeholders all rejected the Muslim-Muslim ticket, we almost single-handedly sold it to our people—the Northern Christians. Most of the Christian votes were as a result of our campaign,” Abrak said.

He explained that the organisation’s decision was based on what it described as patriotism, national unity and the belief that religious differences should not permanently determine political participation or access to governance.

According to him, NCYP was fully aware of the controversy generated by the Muslim-Muslim ticket but chose to support it because it believed that Northern Christians should remain active participants in Nigeria’s political process.

Abrak said members of the organisation subsequently faced condemnation and hostility from some Christian groups and individuals because of their position, describing the experience as a sacrifice made in pursuit of what they considered a broader national interest.

He argued, however, that the subsequent inclusion of Northern Christians in the Tinubu administration, government programmes and policy initiatives demonstrated that the decision to participate in the political process had not been misplaced.

The NCYP leader stressed that the organisation’s support for Tinubu and the APC was not motivated by the expectation of appointments or personal benefits.

“We did not support the ticket because we wanted appointments. We supported it because we believed Northern Christians must be part of the political process and because we believed Nigeria’s development should not be held hostage by religious divisions,” he said.

While reaffirming the group’s allegiance to the APC, Abrak said political support must also translate into meaningful participation, arguing that individuals and organisations that contributed to the party’s electoral successes deserved to be recognised and given opportunities to participate in governance and political structures.

He therefore appealed to the Presidency and APC leadership to pay greater attention to the concerns of stakeholders across Northern Nigeria and ensure that their contributions are reflected in opportunities for political participation, youth empowerment and governance.

Abrak also urged leaders of APC support groups across the North to join the Arewa Democratic Stakeholders Forum, arguing that a united platform would give political stakeholders greater leverage in advocating youth inclusion and other regional interests.

The NCYP chairman disclosed that he was part of a delegation that recently met with the Minister of Youth Development for dialogue and strategic consultations, describing continued engagement between youth organisations and government as critical to addressing the concerns of young Nigerians.

He said NCYP had also resolved to abandon confrontational approaches to political advocacy, opting instead for dialogue, consultation and strategic engagement.

According to him, unnecessary confrontation among political stakeholders could create tension, weaken internal cohesion and ultimately undermine the collective interests of supporters working for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

As part of the formalisation of the new partnership, Abrak constituted a five-man committee mandated to meet with the National Chairman of the Arewa Democratic Stakeholders Forum, Haruna Sardauna, during the week.

The committee is expected to present the partnership agreement and NCYP’s formal endorsement of the Arewa Youth Inclusion Advocacy Campaign.

The organisation said the partnership would strengthen advocacy for the political inclusion of Arewa youths and expand their participation in governance and decision-making ahead of the 2027 elections.

It also reaffirmed its support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid, expressing optimism that a united stakeholder platform and sustained engagement with government would create greater opportunities for young people across Northern Nigeria while deepening democratic participation.

The latest move places youth inclusion at the centre of the group’s political mobilisation strategy, while signalling its determination to consolidate the support of Northern Christian stakeholders for the Tinubu administration ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.

Northern Christian Youth Professionals Back Arewa Youth Inclusion Campaign, Rally Support for Tinubu 2027