Tinubu aides and allies make early push for second term ahead of 2027
- A presidential aide and APC figures have publicly argued that President Tinubu deserves a second term in 2027.
- They say another four years would let the government consolidate its reforms and complete ongoing projects.
- One APC chieftain acknowledged the reforms have caused hardship but asked Nigerians to give the government time.
Supporters of President Bola Tinubu have begun making their case for a second term in 2027, with a presidential aide and an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain saying another four years would let the government finish what it started.
Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the President's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Enlightenment, spoke in Kano at the inauguration of the state and local government coordinators of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a group campaigning for the President's re-election.
He said the administration had recorded gains in infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic reforms, and that the next term should turn those gains into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
"The next term is about consolidating the reforms, but also translating them into more impactful results, especially for the poor," he said, according to Daily Trust.
Abdulaziz said the group was formed to push back against what it calls misinformation about the administration's record, especially in the North. "People will tell you that Tinubu has not done anything for the North, but the evidence suggests otherwise," he said.
He pointed to the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway, where a section was commissioned by the President, represented by Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, and to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which gives loans to students from low-income families for tuition and upkeep. He said money freed by the removal of the petrol subsidy was being channelled into such projects.
On Kano, he said the state stands to gain from the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline. He said pipeline installation is complete, a power substation is expected in Kano, and the project includes plans for a power plant of about 700 megawatts.
Hardship acknowledged
In Abuja, APC chieftain Banwo Mayowa also called for Tinubu's re-election, but conceded that the reforms since May 2023 have been hard on Nigerians.
"These decisions have imposed considerable pressure on households and businesses, and the hardship experienced by Nigerians must never be dismissed," he said in a statement on Friday.
Mayowa, a former member of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council and a former personal assistant to the late Dr Doyin Okupe, said continuity should not mean blind support. He urged the government to correct weaknesses and make sure growth reaches people's pockets.
He cited gross domestic product growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, up from 4.23 per cent a year earlier, but said the priority must be "stronger purchasing power, more employment, lower production costs, and improved living standards."
He also asked for better roads, electricity and transport, more investment in technical and digital skills for young people, and support for vulnerable households through agriculture and targeted social protection.
In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo told an APC mobilisation tour in Esan South-East and Esan North-East that Tinubu deserved a second term because more money has been made available to states. He said the party is targeting 2.5 million votes for the President in Edo and promised compensation for houses marked for demolition along the Uromi highway.
What happens next
The comments signal an early start to re-election campaigning. For voters, the arguments centre on whether the reforms have eased or worsened the cost of food, fuel, transport and school fees, and whether promised projects in their states get completed.
