Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello says he is prepared to spend two weeks in Kano mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Two-million-vote target
Bello made the pledge at a Yoruba political mobilisation and empowerment programme in Kano organised by federal lawmaker Leke Abejide.
DGBN has also reported on Obasanjo says Nigeria’s debt burden is ‘worse than leprosy’.
He told attendees that the nearly 500,000 votes attributed to the communities for Tinubu in Kano during the 2023 presidential election were not enough, and called for a far larger turnout next time.
Bello said Abejide’s network should be capable of helping to deliver at least two million votes for Tinubu. He urged the group to extend its backing to All Progressives Congress candidates in contests for the National Assembly and state legislature as well.
The former governor said he would personally relocate to Kano for two weeks if necessary to support the political effort. The remarks were a campaign commitment, rather than an announced formal deployment by the APC.
For more context, read DGBN’s coverage of Nigeria starts ₦50,000 monthly cash relief for vulnerable households.
Outreach to communities beyond Kano’s indigenes
The gathering focused on Yoruba, Ebira and Igala residents living in Kano, among other communities. Abejide, who represents a Kogi constituency in the House of Representatives and holds the title Asiwaju of Yoruba people in Kano, said he had lived and run businesses in the state for about 34 years.
He appealed to residents to support Tinubu and other APC candidates, portraying electoral participation as a shared responsibility. Abejide also announced N500 million in interest-free loans for women organised in cooperatives, alongside food, clothing and financial support for widows and other beneficiaries.
Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf told the event that non-indigenous residents remained important to the state. He said his administration had appointed advisers representing Yoruba, Igbo and northern minority communities, and would consider further representation for Igala and other groups.
Why Kano matters
Kano is one of Nigeria’s most consequential electoral states because of its large voting population and influence across northern politics. Any effort to build a major bloc of votes there will be closely watched as parties position themselves for the next national contest.
Bello’s intervention also underscores the APC’s emphasis on coalition-building across ethnic and regional lines. For Black communities following Nigerian politics, the move illustrates how political parties are courting diaspora-linked and migrant communities within major commercial cities, where economic networks can translate into local political influence.
Related DGBN reporting includes NITDA chief says Tinubu reforms are steering Nigeria towards production.
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission lists the presidential and National Assembly election for 16 January 2027. Whether Bello’s proposed two-week Kano mobilisation materialises, and whether the stated vote target is attainable, will depend on party organisation, voter registration and the wider political climate in the months ahead.