Tinubu Inaugurates APC Presidential Campaign Council, Vows To Renew Covenant With Nigerians
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for the 2027 general election, expressing confidence in the party’s readiness and unity to renew its covenant with Nigerians.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, October 14, Tinubu charged members of the council and party leaders to demonstrate unity, discipline, commitment and dedication as they prepare for the forthcoming election.
The President, however, cautioned that electoral mobilisation must not distract his administration from its governance responsibilities, stressing the need to sustain ongoing reforms, meet national obligations and attract investments for the country's future.
Expressing gratitude to party members for their contributions during the last election, Tinubu emphasised that electoral success must be measured by the ability to deliver results in the next contest.
"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.
"I thank all of you for the last election, but no one gets credit for an incomplete assignment until you deliver the next election, until you deliver your electoral wards, until you deliver the votes," he said.
Tinubu acknowledged the advice of the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, who urged him to remain focused on governance despite the demands of the campaign.
The President described the advice as timely, assuring Nigerians that his administration would continue to discharge its responsibilities while the campaign council intensified political mobilisation across the country.
"However, I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas. 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," Tinubu said.
He urged campaign council members to engage Nigerians constructively, communicate the administration's policies and programmes effectively, and conduct their activities responsibly under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The President also commended Vice President Kashim Shettima for his speech, describing it as excellent and praising his oratory and patriotic approach to national development.
Tinubu further acknowledged the contributions of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, to the achievements recorded during his tenure as governor of Lagos State, particularly efforts to address the challenges posed by the Atlantic Ocean.
"There is a limit, but there is no limit in daring. We dared the Atlantic Ocean, and the result is the Atlantic City in Lagos," he said.
Shettima Defends Tinubu's Democratic Credentials
Earlier, Vice President Kashim Shettima praised Tinubu's courage and commitment to deepening democracy in Nigeria, citing his support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2007 to contest the presidency on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria.
Shettima criticised Atiku for what he described as an attempt to belittle the office of the President.
"You can call him Bola, if you like, call him Adekunle, but he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," the Vice President said.
He also criticised Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Movement, accusing him of presenting misleading statistics and comparing Nigeria with other countries without providing adequate context.
APC Chairman Tasks Campaign Council on Mobilisation
The APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the inauguration reflected the party's collective commitment to building a better Nigeria and consolidating the administration's achievements.
Yilwatda identified the presence of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as evidence of support for Tinubu's re-election bid beyond the APC.
He urged council members to communicate the administration's achievements and policies clearly, confidently and accurately, while explaining how its reforms could translate into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
"We must show Nigerians how this investment and reforms can translate into practical improvement in our daily lives. This is the substance of our campaign.
"A clear record, an honest assessment of the challenges and a credible vision of the future," Yilwatda said.
He assured Tinubu that the council would embark on extensive grassroots mobilisation, reaching voters at the ward, local government and state levels to secure the President's re-election in 2027.
The APC chairman also called for a peaceful election centred on ideas, records and policies, expressing confidence in the party's national leadership, state chapters and grassroots structures.
Uzodimma Defends Economic Reforms
Governor Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressive Governors Forum and serves as secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council, assured Tinubu that the administration's policies and programmes would strengthen the council's campaign.
He said the campaign would be issue-based, with emphasis on the government's response to longstanding economic challenges.
Uzodimma commended the President for removing the petrol subsidy and reforming the foreign exchange system, arguing that previous administrations had recognised the challenges associated with the arrangements but lacked the political will to address them.
"The first thing we are proud of is the courage you brought to the problems you inherited when you took office. The country was spending more money on petrol subsidies than on many of its most important public services combined. And a system of multiple exchange rates rewarded a few at everyone else's expense.
"Every Nigerian leader before you knew that these arrangements could not last. You were the only one who chose to end them. On the first day of your administration and in the full knowledge that it would cost your popularity, you did it," the governor said.
He also defended the administration's tax reforms, linking them and other policy measures to the reported improvement in economic growth from 4.23 per cent to 4.43 per cent.
Acknowledging the hardships associated with the reforms, Uzodimma said their long-term benefits would become more evident as the economy continued to adjust.
"Nobody here pretends that these reforms did not bring some hardship or some inconveniences to our people, but the institutions that measure economies of nations are now saying what we have been saying for some time, which is that Nigeria is on the right course," he added.
Adeleke, Soludo, Wike Pledge Support
In their goodwill messages, Governor Adeleke, Governor Soludo and FCT Minister Wike expressed support for Tinubu's re-election in 2027, saying they wanted the President to continue the work of his administration.
Adeleke enlivened the gathering with his trademark dance steps, drawing cheers from the audience at the crowded venue.
Wike, who described himself as a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, said he supported Tinubu because of what he considered the President's bold leadership and willingness to confront Nigeria's longstanding challenges.
"Previous administrations identified our problems, but did not tackle them. You have not shied away from tackling such problems. You tackled them from Day One," Wike said.
He challenged governors to mobilise support for Tinubu and ensure victory for the President in their respective states.
Other prominent speakers who called for support for Tinubu's second-term ambition included 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 Alhaji Tanko Yakassai.
They urged Nigerians to support the President's re-election bid, arguing that a second term would enable his administration to consolidate the gains of its reform agenda.
The inauguration formally set the stage for the APC's 2027 presidential campaign, with the council expected to coordinate political mobilisation nationwide while the Tinubu administration continues to pursue its governance priorities.
