Arewa Think Tank Urges Patience as Tinubu Hits 74; Northern Group Backs President’s 2027 Re-election, Says ‘Rebuilding’ Nigeria Requires Time and Sacrifice

Prominent stakeholders and Islamic clerics across Northern Nigeria have converged in Kaduna to issue a strong “vote of confidence” in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. At a prayer session held Today Sunday, March 29, 2026, to commemorate the President’s 74th birthday, the Arewa Think Tank “flipped the script” on regional dissent, calling for national unity and unwavering support for the ongoing economic reforms.

The Convener of the group, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, told the gathering that the “Solution” to Nigeria’s deep-rooted structural problems cannot be achieved overnight. Addressing the current economic hardships, Yakubu noted that “there is no royal road to success” and that the initial pain being felt by Nigerians is the price for a more stable future. He pointed to the increase in revenue reaching state and local governments as a “glimmer of light” that the reforms are already yielding fruit.

The event, which was more of a solemn spiritual exercise than a party, featured the recitation of the Holy Qur’an and special prayers for the President’s health and wisdom. Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, representing former Zamfara Governor Abdulaziz Yari, echoed the sentiment, stating that President Tinubu inherited a system in 2023 that was “almost at a breaking point.” He argued that the President chose the “difficult path of rebuilding” over temporary fixes, a move that deserves the “benefit of the doubt” from all Nigerians.

As the political drumbeats for 2027 begin to grow louder, the Arewa Think Tank’s stance marks a significant boost for the APC in the North. By dismissing criticisms as mere “noise” and focusing on the “substance” of infrastructural and electoral reforms, the group has positioned itself as a major bridge between the Presidency and the Northern grassroots. The session concluded with a collective plea for peace, particularly in the face of global economic pressures caused by the ongoing “US-Israeli-Iranian War.”