With political realignments already taking shape ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and the National Political Consultative Group (NPCG) on Saturday, began moves to convene a high-level summit of northern leaders to discuss a unified voting pattern and restore regional cohesion.

The plan, according to organisers, will involve traditional rulers, religious leaders, and political stakeholders across the 19 northern states to re-awaken the spirit of inclusiveness once championed by the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello.

Speaking at an expanded meeting in Abuja on Saturday, the Director General of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Doknan Sheni, said the disunity plaguing the North must be addressed through both internal and external interventions before the region can play a meaningful role in the next electoral cycle.

“If the north is to prepare and unite for the 2027 election, there must be massive enlightenment programmes among the electorate so that the citizens vote based on ideology, principles and real manifestos of parties and candidates and not based on sentiments.”

Sheni emphasised that the internal imperatives of northern unity lie in addressing the region’s persistent security crises, unemployment, under-development, and ethno-religious divisions.

He also called for a summit of northern leaders in early 2026 to harmonise ideas and draft a regional development blueprint ahead of the elections.

“For the north to unite towards the 2027 elections, there should be a summit of northern leaders sometime in the first quarter of 2026 to harmonise ideas and plan for the elections.

“The two major operating factors that influence voters’ election patterns—religion and ethnicity—must be addressed at that summit.”

The NEF DG warned that external political actors were exploiting internal divisions within the North for their own advantage, urging leaders to “close ranks and treat one another with respect and justice.”

According to him, a united northern front is crucial not only for political negotiation but also for tackling worsening security challenges and economic stagnation.

“The Northern Governors’ Forum, Northern Elders’ Forum, the Arewa Consultative Forum and traditional rulers’ forums should hold meetings to align regional strategies for security and development.”

The push for a northern-unity summit signals a renewed bid by regional leaders to regain political coherence and bargaining power ahead of what analysts expect to be one of Nigeria’s most competitive elections in recent years.

In the 2023 election, the North-West alone accounted for a significant share of the votes for the eventual winner, Bola Tinubu (now president) of the All Progressives Congress.

The PUNCH reported that Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who polled 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes respectively.

Atiku and Obi, however, rejected the results, citing violence, vote suppression, and massive rigging during separate post-election press briefings. (The PUNCH)