BY AHMED AKANBI
Governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the seven states of the North West have pledged to increase the minimum wage for civil servants in the region to N110,000 if elected in 2027.
The pledge was contained in a development covenant titled: ‘North West ADC Governorship Candidates’ Compact 2027-2031′ which was publicly presented on Wednesday in Kaduna State.
ADC governorship candidate for Kebbi State and former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), spoke on behalf of the candidates.
He said all seven candidates have signed documents committing to implement the N110,000 wage across Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
“We are by this gathering unfolding our regional covenant for security, development and shared prosperity,” Malami said.
The event, he noted, was held following the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s approval for the commencement of campaigns.
The candidates accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors in the region of failing to implement policies and projects that would lift the people out of poverty.
They said the N110,000 wage is part of efforts to “protect citizens through reforms and manage public resources responsibly.”
Malami painted a grim picture of the region’s security and development crisis, saying over 16,000 lives have been lost to insecurity between June 2023 and August 2026, while more than 1,583 kidnapping incidents since January 2023 have displaced over 10,000 people from homes and farms.
“Tens of thousands of households have been displaced, and more than 533,000 hectares of farmland in Zamfara and Katsina alone now lie abandoned,” he stated, alleging that the North West accounts for 45 percent of Nigeria’s out-of-school children.
According to the candidates, insecurity has emptied farms, triggered hunger, and forced children out of school — creating what they called “a recruitment pool for banditry and kidnapping.”
Beyond wages and security, the Compact outlines commitments to responsible resource management, job creation, education, healthcare, and agricultural recovery across the seven states.
The ADC candidates also used the occasion to call for the release of former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai from detention.