Vice President Kashim Shettima says northerners should ensure the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.

He said it should be a reward for Tinubu for his consistency in supporting politicians from the north.

Speaking on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential campaign launch in Kaduna, Shettima said, “Tinubu had consistently supported politicians from the north, including former President Muhammadu Buhari.”

According to the Vice President, ensuring the re-election of Tinubu in 2027 would be fair for the region to reciprocate the support the President had shown to northerners for some years.

He added that he and other politicians from the region have come to ask northerners and Nigerians to renew their mandate from top to bottom.

He said Tinubu had at one time supported and provided a platform for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to contest the presidency in 2007 after his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and supported the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu when he contested the presidency on the platform of ACN.

Shettima also explained how Tinubu canvassed support for late President Buhari during his presidential campaigns in 2015 and 2019, saying that he personally sought the support of other Nigerians for Buhari to be victorious.

Shettima defended the Tinubu-led administration, maintaining that it had delivered on its promises across key sectors, stressing that electing Tinubu in 2027 is a mark of honour and northerners should have faith in a man who solidly stood for the region.

He cited the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, the transition to the Federal University of Education in Zaria and the establishment of a state vocational institute in Rigachikun and other parts of Kaduna State as well as the Federal Medical Centre, Kafanchan as examples of the administration’s achievements in the state.

Shettima also explained that the present administration has registered substantial progress on the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, the Kano-Maradi railway, the Lagos-Kano rail corridor, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road and other areas in northern Nigeria.

He assured that the administration is advancing work on the Sokoto-Badagry highway that would open up a vista of opportunities for agricultural production in this country, pointing out that more projects will definitely come the way of the region when voted into power in 2027.

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Political activist and Islamic scholar, Dr Usman Bugaje, has described the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket as a “fraud”, accusing politicians of using religion to win Muslim voters’ support without solving the problems affecting them.

Bugaje spoke at a one-day summit organised by the Islamic Forum of Nigeria in Kano. The event brought together Islamic scholars, professionals and other stakeholders to discuss challenges facing Muslims in the country.

The summit, themed ‘Dilemma of Muslims in Nigeria: The Way Forward’, focused on insecurity, poverty, religious discrimination, governance and the effects of government policies on citizens.

Bugaje argued that having Muslim leaders in government does not automatically mean that the interests of Muslims will be protected.

He pointed to persistent insecurity, economic hardship and other social problems as signs of what he described as failures of political leadership.

He accused politicians of using the Muslim-Muslim ticket to gain votes without making meaningful improvements to people’s safety and living conditions.

The activist also raised concerns about insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.

He alleged that “Boko Haram insurgents continued to operate around Maiduguri, where they reportedly collected taxes and held court sessions to settle disputes among residents”.

Bugaje also described the security situation in Sokoto State as worrying. He claimed that people travelling from the state capital to Isa Local Government Area could make the journey only twice a week, with support from the Joint Task Force.

He said these developments raised concerns about the ability of political leaders to protect citizens. According to him, religious representation should be judged by improvements in people’s welfare rather than the faith of those holding public office.

Bugaje further expressed concern about Nigeria’s reliance on imported medicines, claiming that about 70 per cent of the drugs used in the country came from abroad.

He stressed the need to develop local pharmaceutical industries and protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity, describing both as important steps towards genuine national independence.

The scholar also warned about increasing drug abuse among young people and women, saying the problem threatened the social and economic well-being of Muslim communities.

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A Professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to defend the record of his administration in a live presidential debate ahead of the 2027 general election.

Utomi threw the challenge while speaking on the state of the nation and the need for accountability.

“Defend your record in a live presidential debate,” Utomi said.

According to him, Nigerians deserve to hear directly from the President on the economy, insecurity and governance, not through spokespersons.

He said a live debate would allow citizens to assess the performance of the Tinubu administration and compare ideas for the future.

Utomi insisted that any leader seeking re-election must be bold enough to subject himself to public scrutiny.

The Presidency is yet to respond to the challenge at the time of filing this report.