Less than two years into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have begun campaigning for his re-election in 2027.
Although neither the party nor the president has officially flagged off campaigns, top APC leaders, including the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, have advocated the president’s second term.
Recently, Ganduje, while hosting APC support groups at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, urged politicians from the North eyeing the 2027 presidency to shelve their ambitions until 2031 when Tinubu would have completed his second term.
Akume, while speaking on a TVC programme, had also advised former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the last general elections, Atiku Abubakar, and other northerners not to seek the exalted seat in 2027.
Campaigns for the president’s re-election were also observed to have commenced in Kaduna, Kebbi and Kwara states; while re-election billboards of the president have also been sighted at different locations in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This development has sparked reactions from opposition parties and political analysts who alleged that it is a violation of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Legal experts and political commentators argue that such premature campaigns undermine democracy, the rule of law and electoral discipline.
Legal framework for campaigns
Section 94 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) states: “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”
Subsection 2 adds: “A registered political party which, through any person acting on its behalf during the 24 hours before polling day—(a) advertises on the facilities of any broadcasting undertaking; or (b) procures for publication or acquiesces in the publication of an advertisement in a newspaper for the purpose of promoting or opposing a particular candidate—commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000.”
Similarly, Section 95 (1) states: “A candidate and his or her party shall campaign for the elections in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be determined by the Commission.”
Campaign rally in Kebbi, endorsements in Kaduna, Kwara
Last month, the APC launched its campaign in Kebbi State for the re-election of President Tinubu and Governor Nasir Idris ahead of the 2027 elections.
The mega rally, held at the township stadium in Birnin Kebbi, was attended by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Governor Nasir Idris; House of Representatives member and Tinubu ally, James Abiodun Faleke; Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Tanko Sununu; and other APC leaders.
Tagged “We Stand with Tinubu and Kauran Gwandu,” the event saw a massive turnout, with supporters displaying banners and posters of Tinubu’s projected second-term bid.
Bagudu stated that both Tinubu and Governor Idris deserved re-election based on their performances, saying, “The Tinubu administration has done so much to improve Nigeria. The president has fulfilled his campaign promises to Kebbi, and I am proud to be associated with him.”
Bagudu also announced a donation of ₦450 million to Kebbi’s 225 wards for food distribution ahead of Ramadan and urged residents to continue supporting the APC-led government.
Governor Idris added: “The people of Kebbi are solidly behind President Tinubu because he has brought progress and development to our state.”
After the Kebbi event, APC leaders, including the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin; the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; and many others took turns to project Tinubu for re-election during an agriculture and human capital development empowerment programme organised by Senator Saliu Mustapha in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Last week, stakeholders of the party in Kaduna State passed a vote of confidence on both President Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani “for their exemplary leadership and pro-people policies.”
A statement by the state Secretary of the party, Yahaya Baba Pate, said the stakeholders gave the endorsement at a meeting held at the Kaduna State Liaison office in Abuja. This followed the endorsement of both leaders for a second term by the 255 councillors in the state.
At the weekend, during a reception organised by Ganduje and Senator Barau Jibrin, some members of the support groups of Atiku Abubakar, from the 19 northern states, while announcing their defection to the APC promised to “work for the continuation of Tinubu’s administration in 2027.”
Early campaign shows APC not for governance – Atiku’s aide
But reacting, Paul Ibe, the spokesman of Atiku in a chat with Daily Trust yesterday said that the individuals “are unknown to us.”
According to him: “We have groups we’ve been working with, and we are still working with those support groups. Anybody can claim anything for whatever it is they are doing it for, but we know clearly that the Tinubu administration has weaponized poverty, so all they are doing is that everybody survives through them, so probably it’s a furtherance of that goal,” he alleged.
On the early campaigns, he said, “it is unfortunate and clearly shows that they don’t have anything to offer. One would have thought for now the focus would be on governance; on how they could redeem themselves and make amends for the mess that they have created.
“But that is typical of APC. They are more used to politics than governance, and it clearly shows that Nigeria will continue to suffer for their inhumane policies”, he said.
Presidency mum
Efforts to get a reaction from the Presidency on the development were unsuccessful.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga and the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, could not be reached for comment.
Telephone calls as well as text and WhatsApp messages sent to them by Daily Trust were not responded to.
(Daily Trust)
