By Beatrice Gondyi
Governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the seven Northwest states have signed a joint pact pledging a minimum wage of N110,000 for workers and the establishment of 21 specialist hospitals if elected in the 2027 general elections.
The candidates made the commitment on Wednesday at the Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, during the signing of the Northwest ADC Governorship Candidates’ Compact 2027–2031—a regional agenda focused on security, development and shared prosperity.
Speaking after the signing, former Attorney General of the Federation and Kebbi State ADC governorship candidate, Abubakar Malami, SAN, read a communiqué on behalf of the candidates, declaring that the region is in a state of crisis. According to the pact, the candidates vowed to declare emergencies on insecurity and education, deploy drone technology and surveillance to combat banditry, establish a Northwest Regional Security Coordination Centre, and create protected agricultural corridors to boost food security.
“Over 16,000 lives have been lost on account of insecurity between June 2023 and August 2026, and more than 1,583 kidnapping incidents have taken over 10,000 of our people from their homes and farms,” Malami stated.
He added that over 533,000 hectares of farmland in Zamfara and Katsina alone now lie abandoned, while the region accounts for 45% of Nigeria’s out-of-school children.
The ADC candidates accused the current APC-led administrations in the Northwest of massive looting and misappropriation, alleging that despite receiving over ₦8.33 trillion in federal allocations between June 2023 and August 2026, the region has little to show in terms of infrastructure, healthcare or poverty reduction.
“Our States and Local Government Areas have received over ₦8.33 trillion… and yet these revenues have not translated into accessible transport, affordable food and healthcare, functioning schools, and improved living conditions for our people,” the communiqué read.
They also accused the governors of living in luxury—citing extravagant government houses, exotic cars and private jet travel—while citizens grapple with poverty.
The ADC candidates declared their total support for the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, pledging to restore fuel subsidy as an immediate step to halt the slide of citizens into abject poverty.
“The removal of fuel subsidy by the APC-led Federal Government has pushed the masses of our zone into abject poverty,” they said.
Beyond the N110,000 minimum wage, the candidates committed to establishing one specialist hospital per senatorial district, revitalising primary health centres, expanding telemedicine, declaring an education emergency, integrating Almajiri and Tsangaya children into formal schools, mopping up out-of-school children, prioritising regional infrastructure including roads and rail networks, and pursuing independent power generation and solar energy for public facilities.
The pact was signed by Manir Mohammad Dan’iya (Sokoto), Sabo Mohammed Nakudu (Jigawa), Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi (Zamfara), and Abubakar Malami, SAN (Kebbi), while representatives for Katsina, Kaduna and Kano signed on behalf of their principals.
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