By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
Stakeholders from Nigeria’s northern minority communities have expressed firm support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that his administration has brought inclusion, development, and stability to regions historically sidelined from national consideration.
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Speaking under the aegis of the Northern Minority Alliance for Balanced Leadership (NOMIBAL), the group said it was unperturbed by criticisms trailing the President, describing such sentiments as disconnected from the current realities of governance and national development.
The coalition, which comprises prominent figures from Kaduna, Plateau, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Gombe, and Bauchi States, insisted that their people are neither confused nor manipulated, but are instead direct beneficiaries of policies and interventions under Tinubu’s administration.
They affirmed that under no circumstance would they return to what they called the era of political exclusion and administrative silence.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Kaduna State on Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Mathew Bobai, described the federal projects established in Southern Kaduna as unprecedented.
He referenced the siting of the University of Applied Sciences in Kachia with Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah as Pro-Chancellor, and the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan as evidence of genuine development. He added that the appointments of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Mrs. Lydia Kalat Musa into strategic federal positions reflect the renewed confidence in the capacity of northern minorities. Bobai stressed that no state in the country is currently grappling with salary payments, which he attributed to the fiscal discipline and supportive federal structure introduced by the Tinubu administration.
Barrister Alhamdu Pane, the spokesperson of NOMIBAL from Gombe State, said there was no vacancy in the Presidential Villa in 2027, noting that President Tinubu had, within two years, elevated the visibility of minority communities through key federal interventions and the restoration of public infrastructure across neglected areas.
According to him, Southern Gombe is experiencing federal presence for the first time in decades, which he described as a demonstration of performance rather than propaganda.
From Plateau State, Hon. Tabitha Nyam recalled that the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe highway, which was neglected for years, is now undergoing serious reconstruction under the Tinubu administration. She maintained that the economic viability of the region is being revived and dismissed online critics of the President as those who failed to act when they had the opportunity to lead.
Dr. Silas Agyum of the Taraba Development Forum stated that unlike in the past when northern minorities were politically invisible, President Tinubu has appointed several of their sons and daughters into strategic positions in ministries, parastatals, and special committees.
He argued that such appointments transcend tokenism and reflect genuine political inclusion. Similarly, a cleric and social advocate in Nasarawa State, Rev. Dauda Danbaba, observed that leadership should not be reduced to religious pronouncements, adding that the appointment of General Christopher Musa, a Christian from the region, as Chief of Defence Staff was a clear move towards national cohesion.
In Southern Kaduna, a youth leader, Elizabeth Dung, said the Tinubu administration has brought about infrastructural renewal and policy inclusion in a way that previous governments had failed to do. She explained that the rehabilitation of roads, the appointment of women into sensitive federal roles, and improved security arrangements are all evidence that the region is no longer on the margins of national planning. She said her people will not be deceived again by politicians who only approach them during election cycles.
In Benue State, Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Mike Robertson said President Tinubu’s visit during one of the state’s most challenging moments brought not just hope, but strategic support to the government and people of the state. He noted that the appointment of Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation is a remarkable recognition of the minority bloc in the nation’s political framework. He said the position of the region was made clear during the Arewa Leadership Engagement Programme held in Kaduna, where Tinubu was declared the preferred path forward.
In Plateau State, Mrs. Jummai Bako of the Justice Development and Peace Commission recalled the hardships experienced under former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the same forces that abandoned the people then are now sponsoring violence to punish them for supporting Tinubu. She declared that such tactics will not succeed, as her people have seen progress and are determined not to return to what she described as the years of tears and abandonment.
The coalition said the administration’s strides in road construction, improved security coordination, appointment of women and religious minorities, establishment of new educational and medical institutions, and the activation of the North-West Development Commission have redefined governance in the North Central and North East regions. They also commended the President’s ability to stabilise the economy, especially in states that previously struggled with civil service payrolls.
As the nation moves closer to another critical election cycle, the northern minorities said their support for President Tinubu is not based on emotion, but on verifiable impact. Barrister Pane said the President has not only fulfilled promises, but also provided platforms for inclusion, empowerment and policy participation. He said their support was total and that the minority communities were more politically conscious and resolute than ever before.
According to him, the 2027 election will not be about sentiments or social media noise, but about measurable progress and national unity. He said the Tinubu administration is delivering results that matter and that northern minorities are not confused, but convinced.
