Politics
Tinubu Blames Opposition for Hunger and Poverty as APC Begins 2027 Campaign
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has flagged off his presidential campaign for the 2027 general elections in Kaduna, where he also inaugurated an 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Speaking at the rally held at the Ranchers Bees Stadium, Tinubu accused opposition leaders of being responsible for the poverty and hunger they now use to criticise his administration.
“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created the hunger; they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” he said.
The President’s remarks were apparently directed at ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, who served as Vice President between 1999 and 2007, when many state-owned businesses were privatised without the payment of gratuities and pensions to thousands of laid-off workers. The Tinubu administration has been paying those workers.
Tinubu recalled Kaduna’s historical significance as a city of leaders and the political headquarters of the northern region.
He thanked the people of the state for entrusting him with their mandate in 2023 and urged them to renew it in 2027, citing his achievements and investments in critical infrastructure in Kaduna and across the North.
The rally was attended by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Vice President Kashim Shettima; the wife of the President; the wife of the Vice President; 32 APC governors; former APC National Chairmen Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Abdullahi Ganduje; and other party leaders.
In his remarks, Vice President Shettima reaffirmed Tinubu’s commitment to national unity, democratic stability and economic development, urging Nigerians to support the administration for continuity.
Shettima recalled Tinubu’s support for northern presidential candidates in previous elections, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, who won in 2015 and 2019, as well as Atiku Abubakar and Nuhu Ribadu in earlier contests. He described the support as a demonstration of political loyalty and commitment to national unity.
“We won the last election because you saw the best option before you. For the good people of Kaduna State, we have seen why you stood with us within the mandate of the APC, a mandate to redeem the fortune of this great state. This wisdom has made Kaduna State a unified place,” Shettima said.
In his welcome address, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani commended Tinubu for supporting state governments in implementing development programmes. He said collaboration between the federal and state governments was essential for sustainable development, particularly in infrastructure and agriculture.
He also acknowledged the contributions of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to the welfare of women, children and families. He urged APC supporters to remain vigilant against misinformation and AI-generated content during the electioneering period.
Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, expressed confidence in the party’s ability to mobilise support ahead of the 2027 elections. He commended the rally organisers and defended the administration’s economic reforms, citing developments in the foreign exchange market.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, who spoke during the virtual commissioning of Lot 1, covering 81 kilometres of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, highlighted infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Tinubu administration in the North-West and across the country.
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