Leader of the Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has called on Northern Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, arguing that the region should reciprocate the political understanding that facilitated Tinubu’s emergence as president in 2023.
Showunmi made the appeal on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, during an Alternative Movement town hall meeting in Katsina State, where he said former President Muhammadu Buhari’s support for Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election was based on political trust that should be sustained.
He described the transition from Buhari to Tinubu as an arrangement that should be respected, urging the North to honour what he described as an understanding by supporting the incumbent president for a second term.
According to him, Katsina holds a special place in his heart, adding that the political trust associated with the state should be maintained ahead of the 2027 elections.
“This is the time to return the favour,” Showunmi said, while highlighting the relationship between Buhari and Tinubu and the honours accorded the late president by the current administration, including during his burial.
He also expressed confidence in Tinubu’s development agenda, maintaining that the president should be given another term to consolidate his ongoing reforms.
Speaking on behalf of the Katsina State Government, the Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning, Dr. Faisal Umar Kaita, pledged support for the Alternative Movement and promised to facilitate its integration into the broader All Progressives Congress (APC) political structure in the state.
Kaita also defended the Federal Government’s economic reforms, describing them as necessary measures whose benefits were beginning to emerge. He attributed the APC’s anticipated political strength in Katsina to the performance of both the federal and state governments.
Earlier, the Katsina State Coordinator of the Alternative Movement, Rimaya Umar Salisu Rimaye, urged residents to support Tinubu’s policies, citing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as an initiative providing greater access to higher education for students from less privileged backgrounds.
He also defended the administration’s efforts to tackle insecurity, arguing that the challenges predated the current government and that Tinubu needed additional time to consolidate his reforms.
Rimaye challenged opposition politicians who claim to speak for struggling Nigerians to demonstrate their contributions towards addressing the country’s challenges.
He further urged residents to recognise ongoing development projects while acknowledging that more work remained to be done.
As part of his engagements in Katsina, Showunmi held consultations with the state Deputy Governor and social media influencers before paying a courtesy visit to the Emir of Katsina ahead of the town hall meeting.
