President Bola Tinubu has vowed not to allow preparations for the January 16, 2027 presidential election to distract him from governance, insisting that Nigeria’s economic reforms, investment drive, and financial obligations require his continued attention.
Tinubu spoke on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during the inauguration of his Presidential Campaign Council, where he urged members to lead grassroots mobilisation and promote his administration’s achievements while he concentrates on national responsibilities.
The president said he would still engage Nigerians directly but would leave much of the state-by-state campaigning to council members. He stressed that the demands of governing the country would not pause because of the election.
“You have warned me and asked me not to allow the rigour of the campaign to distract me from governance. I hear you. I am in full agreement with your decision,” Tinubu said.
“Nigeria needs more attention now than ever before. The responsibility of this office does not pause,” he added.
The president also emphasised the need to attract investors and meet the country’s financial obligations, declaring, “We have bills to pay.”
He described himself as a servant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging loyalty to its manifesto and objectives. He also reaffirmed his commitment to establishing state police and supporting legislation for additional reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and state legislatures.
Tinubu urged campaign council members to defend his administration’s record and approach the election with discipline, dedication and effective organisation. He dismissed predictions that disagreements arising from the party’s congresses would lead to its collapse, commending the leadership for managing the internal processes.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima defended the administration’s economic policies, challenging opposition figures, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, to offer practical alternatives suited to Nigeria’s circumstances.
Shettima cited economic growth of 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026 as evidence of improving performance but acknowledged that the gains must translate into more jobs, higher incomes and better public services.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged Tinubu to maintain strong relationships with political allies, while House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen warned against abandoning economic reforms before their anticipated benefits materialised. Abbas argued that the administration’s next phase should focus on turning increased public revenue into tangible benefits for Nigerians.
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, representing the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), described support for Tinubu’s re-election as an unprecedented political consensus.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, of the Accord Party, also backed another four-year term, arguing that the current administration needed more time to consolidate its reforms.
Former Zamfara State governor Abdulaziz Yari, appointed Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, said the campaign would focus on Tinubu’s achievements and future development plans. He warned members against personal rivalries, insisting that securing the President’s re-election must remain their shared objective.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma called for reconciliation among aggrieved APC members, particularly those dissatisfied with the party’s primaries. He urged party leaders to unite behind Tinubu and allow him to concentrate on governance while they handle electioneering.
Presidential aide Ibrahim Kabir Masari, meanwhile, declared that opposition parties could not defeat the APC, promising that campaign officials would be assessed according to actual results delivered in their states, local governments, wards, and polling units.
The APC has scheduled the commencement of its presidential campaign for October 24 in Kaduna, with the council expected to coordinate mobilisation nationwide ahead of the January 16, 2027 election.
