ACF, MBF Fault Yilwatda On 70% Northern Votes For Tinubu Claim

The apex northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) have disagreed with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, over his prediction that President Bola Tinubu will get 70 % of northern votes within the 2027 election.

While the ACF mentioned the APC National Chairman was expressing a laughable private opinion, the MBF described it as wishful considering.

Yilwatda made the prediction on Saturday on the commissioning of the Arewa for Asiwaju secretariat in Abuja, the place he urged individuals within the area to assist Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing infrastructure initiatives, appointments and different initiatives of the President’s administration.

The APC chairman listed street initiatives throughout northern states, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano fuel pipeline, irrigation dams, railway initiatives, healthcare initiatives and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund among the many interventions he mentioned ought to encourage the North to assist Tinubu for a second time period.

Reacting to Prof. Yilwatda’s prediction, ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, instructed LEADERSHIP that it was disappointing for the APC National Chairman to make such a declare when votes haven’t been solid.

Dismissing the prediction, Muhammad Baba mentioned, “The prediction by the chairman could be very disappointing. It reinforces our view that the political workplace holders at present within the nation aren’t ready to permit democracy to develop or to thrive.

“One, he is not the voters. The voters, as you know, are those who will cast their votes, unless, of course, it is an assurance and information that they will rig the election. There is no way, and it doesn’t make sense, that you can predict votes that have not been cast. And we are about 90 days away from the elections. So, at best, I think he is just expressing a personal opinion. At worst, they are trying to sell a dummy to the president that he is going to win.”

He added, “The nationwide chairman is just not the voter. So, I feel it’s one thing to be laughed at. It’s one thing to dismiss. I hope for his sake, he won’t in the future reside to remorse that assertion. But it’s definitely laughable. And we don’t share the opinion in any respect. So it’s not a prophecy. It’s a want, and until there may be some intention behind it, we’ll simply chortle at it as one other marketing campaign slogan and that’s all.

“In fact, I’m surprised if it’s a campaign slogan. It is like me telling you that the president will not win 25 percent at all — you may laugh because I am not the voter. So I think it’s the same thing. Those who think he will score 70 percent are deceiving themselves, just as those who think he will not win 10 percent are also just expressing opinions. So, I mean, it is nothing to worry about. I’m sure it’s a personal opinion and it’s allowed under the Constitution. That’s all I can say for now,” the ACF spokesperson mentioned.