President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has drawn a clear line between his 2027 re-election campaign and the responsibilities of governing Nigeria, declaring that political activities will not halt the work of his administration.
Tinubu made the declaration on Wednesday in Abuja while inaugurating the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He charged members of the council to take charge of mobilisation across the states and local government areas while he remains focused on the business of government.
“I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas,” Tinubu said, stressing that the country’s financial obligations, economic reforms and efforts to attract investors could not be put on hold because of the election.
The president said the APC was ready for the contest, describing the campaign council’s inauguration as a renewal of the party’s commitment to Nigerians. He, however, warned party leaders against treating the election as an already completed assignment, urging them to work for votes at the ward and local government levels.
The inauguration also drew attention to the growing cross-party support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) among those backing the President’s re-election campaign.
Wike defended the cross-party arrangement, saying support for Tinubu’s presidential bid does not necessarily require politicians to abandon their respective parties at the state and legislative levels. The three opposition figures have been assigned roles in the campaign structure for their respective areas.
Speaking at the event, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda urged the campaign council to sell the administration’s policies and record to Nigerians with precision, saying the campaign should focus on issues, achievements and the government’s vision for the future.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who serves as secretary of the campaign council, said the administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and tax reforms, had addressed problems that previous governments had struggled to tackle. He acknowledged the hardship associated with the reforms but argued that recent economic indicators pointed to improved growth.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, meanwhile, praised Tinubu’s political record and defended his leadership, while criticising former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over their positions on the administration.
With the campaign council now formally inaugurated, the APC is expected to shift into a more intensive mobilisation phase ahead of its planned campaign launch in Kaduna on October 24.
