Tinubu won’t go everywhere for campaign rallies

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that he would not go everywhere for campaign rallies as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign kicks off on October 24 in Kaduna.

Speaking shortly after inaugurating the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja on Wednesday, President Tinubu said the demands of his office would not allow him to follow the entire campaign trail.

He noted that Nigeria’s economic and developmental challenges required his attention and he would not shelve that for campaigns.

While promising to make out time to speak with Nigerians, President Tinubu told the Senator Abdulaziz Yari-led campaign council that he would not be able to go to all the states and local government areas.

He said, “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. Nigeria needs more attention now than ever before. The responsibility of this office does not pause.

“However, I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians, even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas. So, you will excuse me from going everywhere with you.”

Daily Trust, however, learnt from a reliable source in the APC that among the few places the President would go are the national campaign flag-off scheduled for Kaduna next weekend and the grand finale in Lagos.

The party stalwart, who requested anonymity, added that the President would attend all the zonal campaigns in the six geopolitical zones of the country but would be represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima in most of the campaign rallies in the states.

Our correspondents report that the party will decide on where to host the rally in each zone depending on if the zonal headquarters is controlled by the APC, the voting population and whether it has hosted any APC event lately.

Earlier, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, had called on President Bola Tinubu to concentrate on governance and leave the task of securing his re-election in 2027 to the APC governors, lawmakers and grassroots political structures.

Uzodimma, who is Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, said, “An election season has a way of consuming everything around it, and there will be no shortage of people who would like to see you spend the next three months responding to every distraction on the campaign trail.

“We would ask that you do not allow it to distract you from governance. The reforms you began need your full attention if they are to deliver everything they promise. Please, Your Excellency, leave the heavy lifting of this campaign to us,” he added.

President Tinubu said there is a need to sustain investor confidence and the responsibility of securing a better future for Nigerians could not be subordinated to political activities.

He said the government must continue meeting its financial commitments while creating an environment capable of attracting long-term investments that would generate opportunities for future generations.

“We have bills to pay,” he declared, emphasising the importance of encouraging investors to establish interests for the future of the country.

President Tinubu also charged members of the campaign council to regard their assignment as an opportunity to renew the APC’s covenant with Nigerians rather than merely securing another electoral victory.

‘Cost of staying away from campaign’

A political scientist, Prof. Gbade Ojo, said President Tinubu’s decision not to visit all states during his 2027 re-election campaign could undermine democratic principles.

Ojo said presidential candidates were expected to tour the country to explain their programmes, defend their records and persuade voters to support their candidacy.

He described the president’s position as inconsistent with the demands of electioneering.

He argued that although the demands of the presidency might make it difficult for Tinubu to visit every local government area, the president should be able to visit every state capital and engage stakeholders directly rather than rely entirely on delegations.

“If a president seeking a second term is now saying publicly that he may not be able to visit all the states, that is a negation of democratic canons that demand that he should go out and campaign,” he said.

The political scientist added that Tinubu could combine official responsibilities with campaign activities within the country.

Ojo attributed the president’s position to what he described as overconfidence arising from the perception that there was no strong opposition to challenge him in the election.

Asked whether Tinubu’s decision was suspicious, Ojo said he could not rule out the possibility that Tinubu might be concerned about the physical demands of campaigning nationwide.

The political scientist described the prospect of a presidential candidate openly indicating that he might not visit every state as unusual.

He argued that an incumbent seeking another term should use the campaign to explain his achievements, acknowledge shortcomings and outline what he intends to do differently if re-elected.

However, another analysts and senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Dr Shuaibu Mohammed, expressed mixed feelings about Tinubu’s decision.

He said, “Traditionally, incumbents have used rallies as a show of strength, travelling across all states to demonstrate grassroots connection and party dominance. By choosing to limit his attendance, Tinubu is signaling a shift in priorities by placing governance and economic management above constant campaign presence. This move is particularly notable given Nigeria’s pressing fiscal challenges, including debt obligations and the need to further entrench investors’ confidence.

“For the APC, this strategy has both advantage and disadvantage. On one hand, it allows Tinubu to project himself as a leader focused on governing rather than politicking, which could resonate with voters who value stability and seriousness.

“On the other hand, his absence from rallies may weaken the party’s visibility in certain regions, leaving delegates like Vice President Shettima, governors, party leaders and members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council to carry the burden of motivating and mobilising supporters. This delegation could test the strength of APC’s internal cohesion and organisational capacity, especially in areas where Tinubu’s personal presence might have been crucial.”

Families struggling with food, but opposition has no answer – Abbas

In his Speech, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the APC would speak honestly about the economy.

“Families have endured high prices. Workers have struggled with food, transport and housing. Businesses have faced expensive credit. We acknowledge these realities. The president is the first to accept this. But hardship must not make us abandon the evidence,” he added.

He maintained that Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026, external reserves rose above 54 billion dollars in September, gross federation revenues rose by 69 per cent in real terms between 2023 and 2025 and revenues increased by about 93 per cent.

“These are findings reported by the World Bank,” the Speaker added.

He argued that the figures did not mean that every family had felt the full benefit, but the economic base was becoming stronger.

“The opposition will try to reduce this election to anger. We must elevate it to an argument. They condemn reform but offer no credible replacement. They promise reversal without calculating its cost.

“They assemble familiar political actors under new arrangements and call it a new beginning. But a rearrangement of ambition is not a programme of government,” he said.

Nentawe: We’ll present our case, let Nigerians make their choice

On his part, the National Chairman of the APC, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, said the ruling party is ready to present its scorecard in the last three years to the people, adding that it is left for the people to decide.

The chairman said the party would ask Nigerians to support the re-election of President Tinubu “because we believe the administration’s reform agenda and development priorities deserve continued consideration and the opportunity to deliver further results.

“To our colleagues in the opposition, we recognise your legitimate role in our democracy. Let the coming election be a contest of ideas, records and policies, conducted peacefully and with respect for the Nigerian people.

“The APC will present its case with confidence, defend its record with facts and trust Nigerians to make their choice through a credible democratic process,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Uzodimma has asked party leaders and governors to be ready for the campaign, saying the election would be a referendum on the APC as a whole and not President Tinubu alone.

He said, “It follows that our party has no excuse not to win. Victory is guaranteed when we are united, committed and work as a focused team. So we must jettison any misgivings we have against each other.”

He warned that a party that controls every tier of government can easily grow comfortable and begin to mistake the size of its structure for the depth of its support.

Nentawe: We’ll present our case, let Nigerians make their choice

On his part, the National Chairman of the APC, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, said the ruling party is ready to present its scorecard in the last three years to the people, adding that it is left for the people to decide.

The chairman said the party would ask Nigerians to support the re-election of President Tinubu “because we believe the administration’s reform agenda and development priorities deserve continued consideration and the opportunity to deliver further results.”

“To our colleagues in the opposition, we recognise your legitimate role in our democracy. Let the coming election be a contest of ideas, records and policies, conducted peacefully and with respect for the Nigerian people.

“The APC will present its case with confidence, defend its record with facts and trust Nigerians to make their choice through a credible democratic process,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Uzodimma has asked party leaders and governors to be ready for the campaign, saying the election would be a referendum on the APC as a whole and not President Tinubu alone.

He said, “It follows that our party has no excuse not to win. Victory is guaranteed when we are united, committed and work as a focused team. So we must jettison any misgivings we have against each other.”

He warned that a party that controls every tier of government can easily grow comfortable and begin to mistake the size of its structure for the depth of its support.

Wike promises to deliver Rivers, FCT

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, promised to ensure President Tinubu wins in Rivers State and FCT and urged APC governors to work hard to deliver their states for the president.

He said any governor who did not win his state for Tinubu should not join to say “we have won,” if the president is reelected.

The minister said he was happy to see his name as the coordinator in charge of Rivers and FCT.

“My job is already simple. As coordinator of Rivers State and the FCT, by the grace of God, the people will vote massively for President Tinubu,” Wike declared.

Tinubu’s campaign council a confession of fear – Atiku

Former vice president and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has described the APC’s revised Presidential Campaign Council as “a crowded confession of Tinubu’s fear.”

Atiku, in a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, said the length of the list revealed a president more eager to count politicians than be accountable for what Nigerians have endured.

He also condemned the decision to inaugurate the APC Presidential Campaign Council inside Aso Rock Villa.

The statement read, “Only a man afraid of his record would think he could bury it under hundreds of names. Tinubu can gather every governor, minister and political defector in Nigeria. None of them can erase the hunger in people’s homes, bring back those killed by violence or free Nigerians still held captive. Their families are waiting for answers, not another campaign list.

“Tinubu has room for an army of ministers and a stadium full of campaign officials, but no room in his plans for Nigerians crushed by the cost of living.

“He feeds his political machine and tells hungry families to sacrifice. He may surround himself with elite friends and fill his campaign schedule with endorsements, but the list of Nigerians determined to vote against him is much longer. On January 16, Nigerians will answer with one question: Are we better off under Bola Tinubu?

“When the first list drew criticism, Tinubu had a chance to show that he understood the country’s anger. Instead, he returned with an even longer list, reaching into other parties for more names. He is collecting politicians like shields against public judgment. Let him collect them all. Not one of them can cast a vote for the mother who can no longer feed her children or the family still waiting for a loved one taken by kidnappers.”

APC-PCC inauguration a ‘rape of democracy’ – ADC campaign

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has condemned the inauguration of the APC-PCC in Abuja, describing it as a calculated attempt to impose a one-party dictatorship on Nigeria.

The ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that the ruling party was undermining Nigeria’s multiparty democracy by “coercing” opposition governors into its fold or incorporating them into its presidential campaign council despite their refusal to defect from their respective political parties.

“What we are witnessing is not politics but political abduction. You cannot claim to be a democrat while using state power to force opposition governors into your party and then drafting them into your campaign council. This is political banditry,” he said.

He accused the APC of pursuing a political agenda that could concentrate power in the hands of one individual, alleging that key national institutions, security agencies and the judiciary were being deployed to weaken opposition forces.

The ADC-PCC spokesman urged Nigerians to resist what he described as the emergence of an immoral political order driven by the desire to retain power at the expense of citizens’ welfare.

A coalition council heading for the rocks – APM campaign

The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) has described the APC-PCC as a “Nebuchadnezzar Coalition” heading for the rocks.

APM also declared that the APC is on a collision course with the will of Nigerians.

The MDPCO described the council as a haven of internationally discredited and politically inconsistent characters, adding that this “Nebuchadnezzar Coalition is headed for the rocks as it cannot whitewash the failures of the present administration.”

Richard Ihediwa, Director of Strategic Communications of MDPCO said with the confidence that President Tinubu reposed in this alliance of “governors, yes-along legislators, and discredited politicians, some of whom are fleeing from corruption investigations; even as his administration presides over an unprecedented economic crisis, worsening insecurity and a devastating collapse of public confidence, we see in the APC Presidential Campaign Council imminent political humiliation.”

He added, “History is replete with the humiliation of those who mistake transitory power for permanence while reinforcing their illusions by surrounding themselves with compensated loyalists and sycophants, who do not command the loyalty or followership of the people, rather than confront the stark reality of failures.

“What explanation will the “Nebuchadnezzar Coalition” offer Nigerians for the 140 million citizens (63% of the population) now trapped in multidimensional poverty according to the World Bank Report and the 113 million experiencing deprivation in health, education and other basics occasioned by President Tinubu’s misrule?”

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