Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged Northern leaders and citizens to rally behind President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027, insisting that the region has nothing to fear from his re-election.

Shettima made the call on Monday in Abuja while receiving a delegation from Arewa for Tinubu (A4A), a northern-based think tank.

He described Tinubu’s second-term agenda as important to the North’s prosperity and stability, adding that the administration remained committed to the region’s development through appointments, projects and programmes.

“The North has no reason to be scared of the re-election of President Tinubu.

“Let’s unite as a people and work for the development of our region and the progress of our people through the re-election of this administration.

“We are benefiting, and we stand to benefit more from this government in many ways.

“The Bank of Agriculture has disbursed N450 billion to 700,000 smallholder farmers in Nigeria, and about 70 per cent of the beneficiaries are from the North.

“The present administration is working towards completing landmark and groundbreaking projects in parts of the country.

“I can assure you that the President loves the North and will work for the region.”

The Vice-President thanked A4A for its continued support for Tinubu and urged members to intensify mobilisation across wards, communities and local government areas.

Earlier, A4A Director-General and former Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to securing support for Tinubu’s re-election in the North.

Badaru said the organisation planned to engage religious leaders, including Muslim and Christian clerics, as well as other prominent Nigerians, to explain the need to support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket in 2027.

“On discussions with high-profile individuals, we have gone far.

“We have met them several times, and the Board of Trustees is meeting them again to consolidate our gains and explain why there is a need to support this ticket.”

He added that A4A was assisting the Presidential Campaign Council with grassroots mobilisation activities tailored to complement its wider campaign efforts.

“We are also supporting the Presidential Campaign Council with whatever they want us to do that is micro in nature because they are so big,” Badaru said.

He said the group would focus on engaging voters across local government areas and wards.

Also speaking, A4A Board of Trustees Chairman and former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, said the organisation had supported Tinubu’s election in 2023 and intended to repeat the effort in 2027.

Shekarau disclosed that the group had been engaging northern governors and other stakeholders to identify areas of collaboration.

He also announced that A4A had concluded plans to establish a full-fledged secretariat to coordinate its activities.

“We will have offices for directors and state coordinators to compare reports, analyse them and give instructions to our members,” he said.

Shekarau formally invited Shettima to commission the A4A office complex on October 17.