A coalition of youth organisations from Northern Nigeria, operating under the Northern Youth Frontiers (NYF), has expressed support for the continuation of the country’s informal North-South power-sharing arrangement, urging political actors to allow the South to complete its expected two-term tenure before power returns to the North in 2031.
The group also called for the immediate commencement of efforts to identify and prepare a new generation of leaders capable of addressing the region’s future development needs.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Chairman, Sama Musa, the coalition said it had reviewed developments within Nigeria’s political landscape and activities across major political parties ahead of future elections.
According to the group, Northern Nigeria should focus on a long-term political strategy aimed at producing a globally competitive presidential candidate rather than pursuing short-term political calculations.
The NYF, which said it represents youth organisations across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), maintained that the region’s political future should not be determined by what it described as temporary or transactional arrangements.
The coalition further stated that supporting the completion of the current administration’s tenure would contribute to political stability and national unity.
He said: “We are making this concession deliberately, out of political maturity and a desire for national stability. Consequently, we are entirely unwilling to gamble away the future of our region on short-sighted political arrangements that do not serve our long-term interests. We reject two specific political traps currently being floated by political actors:
“We are completely against the idea of supporting a short-term Northern candidate who will serve only one term (four years) and be forced by national dynamics to hand power back to the South. This option delays our long-term regional positioning.
“We equally reject any political permutation that introduces a fresh Southern candidate who will serve only one term, promising a hand-over to a Northerner. Neither of these options sits well with us. We refuse to trade the collective destiny of the North for temporary political arrangements.
“The time for the north to take over is 2031 straight eight years insha Allah. Rather than settling for stop-gap measures or political experiments, the Northern Youth Frontiers has resolved to use this political window to shop for a stellar, elite-level presidential material.
“The youth of Northern Nigeria are no longer interested in tokenism or outdated governance models. We deserve a leader who understands digital economy, industrialization, security architecture, educational reform, and job creation.
“We need a candidate who sees the immense population of Northern youth not as a liability, but as a driving asset for national transformation. Moving forward, the Northern Youth Frontiers will begin extensive consultations across the length and breadth of the country to identify, vet, and align with leadership materials that meet this premium standard.
“We call on all traditional rulers, political stakeholders, elders and fellow youth organizations across the North to look past short-term gains and join us in this noble, visionary quest. The future of Northern Nigeria cannot be gambled away. The search for a 21st-century leader begins now.”
The group said it would embark on consultations with stakeholders across the country as part of efforts to identify and support potential leaders capable of meeting the aspirations of Northern youths and contributing to national development.
