By Muhammad Shehu,Kano

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has called on political leaders and residents of the North to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the South should be allowed to complete what he described as an eight-year tenure arrangement.

Yusuf made the call on Sunday in Kano while receiving 50 campaign vehicles donated by Niger Delta businessman and political figure, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, to support the grassroots mobilisation activities of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement ahead of the 2027 elections.

The vehicles are expected to be deployed in support of the movement’s mobilisation structures and campaign activities across Kano State.

The governor said the donation was an indication of Tompolo’s commitment and solidarity with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Tinubu administration.

Yusuf, while making a case for continued northern support for Tinubu, linked his position to what he described as an understanding among political stakeholders concerning the rotation of presidential power between the North and South.

According to him, former President Muhammadu Buhari spent eight years in office before power shifted to the South following Tinubu’s election in 2023.

He therefore argued that the South should be allowed to complete another four-year term after the 2027 election before power could subsequently return to the North.

Yusuf said: “President Tinubu has been serving Nigeria for the last three and a half years. Now we are coming for another election.

“Therefore, it is our responsibility as Nigerians to agree that the President should be re-elected for another term of office to complete the eight years that we promised that the South would stay.

“By 2031, the agreement will have been concluded. North, eight years gone; South, by 2031, will be eight years in government.

“At the end of that, power will come back to the North. And only Allah knows who will be the President then of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The governor’s position comes as political parties and support groups intensify mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with questions surrounding power rotation and the succession of the presidency increasingly featuring in political discourse.

Yusuf, however, also urged political parties and their supporters to ensure that their campaigns remained focused on issues affecting Nigerians.

He called on politicians to concentrate on their programmes, achievements and plans for the electorate instead of resorting to character assassination and personal attacks.

The governor further appealed for peaceful campaigns, urging political parties and their supporters to avoid violence, intimidation and other forms of criminality as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.

Yusuf expressed appreciation to Tompolo for the donation, noting that similar mobilisation support had been extended to other states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

Earlier, Tompolo, who was represented at the event by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services, Kestin Pondi, called on Nigerians to support what he described as continuity of the policies and reforms initiated by the Tinubu administration.

Tompolo urged Nigerians not to be deceived by what he described as promises by opposition politicians to serve only one term.

He said voters should make informed choices during the 2027 elections and support the continuation of policies and reforms already initiated by the present administration.

According to him, the Tinubu administration has embarked on reforms which, in his assessment, are intended to reposition the Nigerian economy and lay the foundation for sustainable growth and development.

Tompolo also declared that there was no vacancy in Aso Rock or the Kano Government House, expressing confidence in the continuation of the political structures supporting Tinubu and the APC.

He described Tinubu as a courageous leader and said the President’s reform agenda was aimed at repositioning Nigeria for sustainable growth and development.

The latest mobilisation effort adds to a broader campaign by the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement to establish grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 elections.

Earlier in September, the movement commenced grassroots mobilisation activities in Borno State, where 44 vehicles and other campaign equipment were unveiled to support its operations. The items included speakers, generators, amplifiers and microphones.

The Kano mobilisation therefore forms part of an expanding campaign network seeking to strengthen support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

With the political parties expected to intensify their activities in the coming months, issues including power rotation, economic reforms, security, governance, regional interests and the performance of the current administration are likely to remain central to the campaigns.

Governor Yusuf’s appeal for northern support for Tinubu represents one political argument in the emerging debate, while the eventual decision on the 2027 presidential election will be made by eligible Nigerian voters at the polls.