President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the APC Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 election, urging members to secure votes across their wards while ensuring governance remains a priority.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general election, charging members to demonstrate unity, commitment and effective grassroots mobilisation while his administration continues its governance responsibilities.
Tinubu gave the charge on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, during the inauguration ceremony at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
The President expressed confidence in the party’s ability to work together, describing the exercise as an opportunity to renew its commitment to Nigerians ahead of the presidential election.
He urged council members to deliver votes across their respective wards, local government areas and states, stressing that their contributions would be measured by their performance at the polls.
“As I stand before you with a heart full of gratitude and spirit full of resolve, it is my honour to inaugurate the presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 General Election,” Tinubu said.
He thanked party members for their support during the previous election but maintained that the task remained incomplete until they secured electoral support in 2027.
The President also acknowledged advice from Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, against allowing campaign activities to distract him from governance.
Tinubu said he agreed that his official responsibilities must remain a priority, noting that the government still had financial obligations to meet and needed to attract investors.
“We have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait. We want those investors to come in and invest for the future of our children,” he said.
He added that he would continue to engage Nigerians directly while the campaign council coordinates mobilisation across the country.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima commended Tinubu’s political record and his role in deepening democratic participation.
Shettima cited Tinubu’s support for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition in 2007 under the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria.
He also criticised Atiku’s comments about the President’s office, insisting that the office of the president deserved respect.
Shettima further criticised Peter Obi over what he described as misleading statistics and comparisons between Nigeria and other countries without adequate context.
Earlier, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda said the inauguration reflected the party’s commitment to its political objectives and the administration’s development agenda.
He urged council members to communicate the government’s policies and achievements clearly while engaging Nigerians on how the reforms could translate into practical improvements in their daily lives.
Yilwatda said the campaign would extend from wards to local governments and states, with party structures expected to mobilise voters ahead of the election.
He also called for a peaceful, issue-based campaign focused on policies, records and the country’s future.
Uzodimma, who serves as secretary of the campaign council, said the administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidies and changes to the foreign exchange system, had addressed longstanding challenges.
He acknowledged that the reforms had caused hardship and inconvenience for some Nigerians but argued that economic indicators showed signs of improvement.
The governor also cited tax reforms and economic growth figures in his remarks.
In goodwill messages, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Their participation drew attention because the three politicians are affiliated with parties other than the APC: Adeleke with the Accord Party, Soludo with the All Progressives Grand Alliance and Wike with the Peoples Democratic Party.
Wike said he supported Tinubu because he believed the President had demonstrated the willingness to address longstanding national challenges.
He urged governors and other political leaders to work towards securing support for Tinubu in their respective states.
Adeleke attracted attention at the event with his trademark dance moves, drawing cheers from attendees.
The APC chairman described the presence of political figures from outside the ruling party as evidence of broader support for the President’s policies.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs Ibrahim Kabiru Masari and elder statesman Tanko Yakassai also called for support for Tinubu’s second-term bid.
The campaign council is expected to coordinate political mobilisation, communicate the administration’s policies and organise campaign activities across the country.
Tinubu will chair the council, with Shettima and Yilwatda serving as vice-chairmen. Former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari is the Director-General, while Uzodimma serves as secretary, according to published reports on the council’s composition.
The inauguration comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu called on council members to conduct their activities responsibly and engage Nigerians constructively, while insisting that government business would continue alongside campaign preparations.
The President’s remarks placed the dual demands of electioneering and governance at the centre of the inauguration, as the APC begins organising its structures for the next presidential contest.
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