Tinubu kicks off APC national campaign on October 24 – THIS UPDATE

By Victor Osula, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun preparations to mobilize national support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, with the party setting October 24 for its presidential campaign in Kaduna.

Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, revealed the plans after meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Yari said the president has approved a timetable for state visits ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the ruling party prepares to take its campaign message to voters across the country.

He announced that the Electoral Council will hold its inaugural meeting on October 14 at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.

According to him, the end of the campaign will take place in Kaduna on October 24, after which the mobilization exercise will move to Port Harcourt and Maiduguri.

Yari said the full itinerary will be made public after the inauguration of the election board.

The planned activities are expected to provide the framework for the APC’s national mobilization effort in a bid to secure another four-year term for Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023.

The campaign is expected to focus on the administration’s policies and achievements, with the ruling party seeking to convince Nigerians that Tinubu deserves another term despite concerns over economic hardship and the cost of living.

Yari also expressed confidence in Tinubu’s political stance, dismissing the prospect of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi defeating the President in the 2027 elections.

He argued that neither opposition figure has the level of support needed to win the presidency in northern and southern Nigeria.

Yari said Tinubu enjoys strong support in more than 10 states in each of the two regions, expressing confidence that the APC will be able to mobilize sufficient support across the country.

APC will campaign on Tinubu’s record

Yari said the APC will campaign on the record of Tinubu’s administration, arguing that the president has improved the economic situation he inherited when he took office.

He argued that the administration’s achievements would provide the ruling party with material to present to Nigerians in seeking a new mandate.

The economic situation is expected to be a major issue in the campaign, especially as Nigerians continue to grapple with the effects of rising costs of living and the impact of government reforms.

Tinubu’s administration introduced significant changes in economic policy, including the removal of gasoline subsidies and reforms to the foreign exchange system. The government has defended the measures as necessary to stabilize public finances and improve the economy over time, while critics have raised concerns about their immediate effects on households and businesses.

The APC will then face the task of explaining the benefits of its policies to voters, while addressing concerns about inflation, purchasing power, employment and living standards.

Tinubu won the 25 February 2023 presidential election with 8,794,726 votes, defeating Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who received 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi, then candidate of the Labor Party, who obtained 6,101,533 votes. The Supreme Court upheld Tinubu’s election in October 2023 after legal challenges from opposition candidates.

Since taking office on May 29, 2023, Tinubu has pursued economic reforms aimed at reducing government spending on subsidies, improving revenues and restructuring the foreign exchange market. The reforms have generated considerable political debate, particularly over their impact on the cost of living and the pace at which the expected benefits could reach the Nigerian population.

As the 2027 elections approach, the APC prepares to defend its gains and consolidate its political support, as opposition figures and parties seek to challenge the ruling party’s grip on the presidency.

The inaugural meeting of the Electoral Council on October 14 and the scheduled inauguration in Kaduna on October 24 are expected to mark key steps in the APC’s preparations. Further details on the proposed state visits and mobilization program will be expected after the inauguration of the Council.

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