Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to defend the administration’s reforms with facts, transparency and measurable results ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Shettima spoke on Saturday in Abuja while unveiling the Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A) Campaign Head Office and formally inaugurating the northern campaign structure established to mobilise support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
The Vice President said the growing support for Tinubu across the North should not be regarded as a blank cheque, stressing that the administration must continue to earn the confidence of Nigerians through accountability and improved performance.
He said the North had made its position clear, describing the region’s support for Tinubu as “a resounding voice and unmistakable conviction.”
“From Adamawa to Zamfara, from Borno to Niger, we have spoken. Such confidence places an obligation upon us that no officeholder should ever underestimate,” Shettima said.
He, however, acknowledged the economic difficulties faced by Nigerians, urging government supporters not to dismiss genuine concerns or rely solely on political slogans to defend the administration’s policies.
“Our citizens have endured difficult adjustments. We cannot pretend otherwise. What we owe them is an honest account of the decisions taken, the gains achieved and the difficulties that persist,” he said.
Shettima said the concerns of traders battling rising costs, unemployed graduates and families struggling with daily expenses must remain central to government policies.
He added that criticism should be welcomed as part of democratic governance, noting that useful ideas should be considered regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion or region.
The Vice President also challenged the A4A structure to go beyond electioneering by serving as a channel through which the concerns of communities could reach government.
He said the administration’s priorities remained security, economic opportunities, poverty reduction, education and stronger public institutions.
Earlier, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin said the inauguration of the A4A structure came at a critical time when the North needed a trusted platform to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, called on the northern region to support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket, citing what he described as the administration’s achievements and inclusive leadership.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, also urged the North to base its decision ahead of the 2027 election on evidence and performance rather than sentiment.
Speaking on behalf of northern governors, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said the region would massively support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket based on the administration’s record, fairness, equity, national unity and development.
The Director-General of A4A and former Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Mohammed Badaru, said the organisation was established out of the conviction that Tinubu and Shettima had performed well and deserved another term.
He pledged that the group would take the message of continuity and completion of the administration’s projects to communities across northern Nigeria through its network.
The event was attended by serving National Assembly members, ministers, presidential aides, heads of government agencies, former governors and other prominent Nigerians from the northern region.