The Traffic

N’East APC Stakeholders Lobby Shettima, Ribadu for Ministerial Slot, Push Sardauna as Choice

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the North-East have appealed to Vice President Kashim Shettima and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to wade into the ongoing push for a replacement in the Federal Executive Council, insisting that the region deserves fairer representation in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

The call was made on Monday when a delegation of the APC Youth Stakeholders Forum, led by its Executive Secretary, Abdulkareem Jimeta, stormed the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

At the center of their demand is Haruna Sardauna, a loyalist of President Tinubu and former coordinator of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Organisation, whom they want appointed as the new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management following the exit of Nentawe Yilwatda, now APC National Chairman.

“Imbalance Must Be Corrected”

Jimeta argued that the North-East has been shortchanged in presidential appointments, warning that the imbalance, if uncorrected, could weaken APC’s grassroots strength ahead of 2027.

“This is a wake-up call to Vice President Kashim Shettima and the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as our leaders from the North-East, to intervene and facilitate the appointment of Haruna Sardauna and other North-East youth to benefit from Tinubu’s presidential appointments,” Jimeta said.

He revealed figures showing that while Kano State alone boasts 27 youth appointees, the entire six states of the North-East—Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, and Gombe—share just eight.

“The North-West has taken 71% of youth appointments. The North-Central enjoys 21%. Sadly, the North-East gets only 8%. That is unacceptable,” he added.

Why Sardauna?

The Forum painted Sardauna as a tested grassroots mobiliser and humanitarian voice in the North-East. They recalled his loyalty to Tinubu dating back to 2016 as Deputy National Chairman of the Tinubu Youth Ambassadors, and his present role as Director-General of the Renewed Hope Youth Ambassadors.

“Appointing Sardauna would not only correct the imbalance but also strengthen APC’s base across the North-East. He has the pedigree, the loyalty, and the capacity to deliver,” Jimeta noted.

The stakeholders further tied their appeal to the region’s peculiar humanitarian crises, worsened by years of Boko Haram insurgency.

“His appointment would help tackle the plight of IDPs, widows, orphans, and Persons With Disabilities, while also pushing forward meaningful recovery efforts in the Northeast,” the Forum argued.

Wider Support Building

The campaign for Sardauna is gaining momentum, with several Arewa youth groups also throwing their weight behind him, alongside Hon. Nasir Ja’oji from the North-West, as part of a push for broader youth inclusion in Tinubu’s cabinet.

Backed by his academic grounding in Public Administration and recognition as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Administration and Governance, the Forum believes Sardauna is well-positioned to deliver policies that will directly address the humanitarian needs of the region.

The Bigger Picture

With 2027 already casting a long shadow over Nigeria’s political landscape, the demand from the North-East is more than just a call for inclusion—it is a battle for balance, recognition, and influence within the ruling APC.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna