Tinubu Ignites 2027 Election Race with High-Stakes 12-State Campaign Launch

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled its comprehensive nationwide campaign rally schedule for the upcoming 2027 general elections, covering all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The campaign is slated to commence on October 24, 2026, in Kaduna and culminate with a grand finale rally in Lagos on January 9, 2027.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to personally lead the campaign efforts in 12 strategically chosen states, a decision he explained was to ensure that governance continues without being unduly hampered by electioneering. He stated that the country's pressing needs demand his attention, and the responsibilities of his office cannot pause for the rigors of an election campaign. The selected states for his personal appearances include Kaduna, Rivers, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa, and Lagos. An analysis of the 2023 presidential election results reveals a significant strategic dimension to this itinerary: nine of these twelve states were lost by Tinubu to his principal opponents, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, underscoring a clear focus on electoral recovery. For instance, Atiku secured victories in Kaduna, Bauchi, Sokoto, and Adamawa, while Obi won Plateau, Enugu, Delta, and Lagos. Kwankwaso took Kano.

Conversely, Rivers, Oyo, and Borno, though won by Tinubu in 2023, are also deemed critical for consolidating existing support, influenced by key political figures like Minister Nyesom Wike in Rivers, Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo, and Vice President Kashim Shettima's base in Borno. The decision to flag off the campaign in Kaduna, where Atiku had a significant lead in 2023, and to hold the grand finale in Lagos, a state unexpectedly lost to Obi, highlights the intensity of the upcoming electoral contests. Seven of the states are in the North, and five are in the South, ensuring coverage across all six geopolitical zones.

The campaign formally kicked off with the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. During the inauguration, President Tinubu renewed his covenant with Nigerians, emphasizing that governance must not be grounded as Nigeria needs fixing. He pledged support for legislative efforts to increase women’s representation through a Women Reserve Seat Bill and affirmed that state police would become a reality. He charged the campaign council members to deliver their electoral wards and votes, stressing that no one gets credit for an incomplete assignment until the next election is won.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, speaking at the inauguration, criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, questioning their economic interventions and readiness to lead Nigeria. Shettima asserted that a country of Nigeria's size and economic realities cannot be governed with borrowed statistics or policies copied without adaptation to local peculiarities. While urging party leaders to treat opponents with respect, he stressed that criticisms should be met with facts, statistics, and reason. He defended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, such as the removal of petrol subsidy and addressing foreign exchange distortions, as necessary, arguing they deserve continuity and that the government's priority is to translate these gains into jobs and meaningful earnings for Nigerians.

Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, stated that the campaign would be performance-driven, centered on President Tinubu’s achievements since May 2023, his future plans, infrastructure development, and impact on ordinary citizens. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a PDP member within the APC campaign council, warned coordinators not to claim victory if they failed to deliver their respective states, stressing accountability for electoral performance. Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, tasked political appointees to deepen grassroots engagement and secure a landslide victory for Tinubu in 2027, citing the President’s transformative investments in the state.

The Senate highlighted the inclusive nature of the APC-PCC, describing it as a "rainbow coalition" aimed at promoting national unity and inclusive governance. This alliance includes figures from other parties like Governor Charles Soludo of APGA and Governor Ademola Adeleke of Accord Party, who both expressed optimism for Tinubu’s re-election and pledged their support. Senate President Godswill Akpabio noted that this broad political alliance, cutting across party lines, is historic and unprecedented in Nigeria's democracy.

However, the opposition has sharply criticized the APC's approach. Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, condemned the inauguration of Tinubu’s campaign council at the Presidential Villa, calling it an abuse of public office and a troubling breach of public trust. He questioned why the president would not campaign nationwide, suggesting Tinubu was "ashamed" to face Nigerians directly and account for his first term amidst economic hardship and insecurity. Atiku's media office also rebutted Shettima's claim about Atiku benefiting from Tinubu's generosity in 2007, clarifying that the Action Congress (AC) was a coalition of political interests, not Tinubu’s personal property.

The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) echoed these criticisms, dismissing the APC-PCC as a "Nebuchadnezzar Coalition" and accusing President Tinubu of being "scared" to face the electorate due to his administration's failures. They described the decision not to accompany the campaign to every state as a desperate attempt to evade public resentment, arguing it makes a caricature of democratic ethos and suggests a lack of confidence in his record.