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| The National Chairman — Prof. Yilwatda |
KADUNA — On a Saturday afternoon at Ranchers Bees Stadium, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Nentawe Yilwatda delivered a clear political message: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has earned the right to seek and secure a second term so that the difficult reforms of his first term can be consolidated into tangible prosperity for ordinary Nigerians.
The occasion was the formal flag-off of the APC’s presidential campaign for the 2027 general elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the presidential poll for 16 January 2027. With more than two years still to run on Tinubu’s first term, the early launch signals the ruling party’s determination to lock in continuity, frame the economic pain of reform as necessary medicine, and portray opposition fragmentation as evidence of Tinubu’s growing political gravity.
The Core Argument: Reforms Need Time
Yilwatda’s central claim was straightforward and repeated with emphasis. Tinubu, he said, has shown “the determination to take difficult but necessary decisions in the interest of our country.” Those decisions — subsidy removal, exchange-rate unification, tax reforms, and attempts to stabilise the fiscal framework — have produced short-term hardship. The chairman’s pitch is that the same leadership that imposed the pain is best placed to deliver the promised gains.
“Mr President, the people have spoken, and their voice is loud and clear. Nigerians are happy. Our women are happy, our youths are happy, and the people are encouraged by your leadership,” Yilwatda declared. “Today, we celebrate a courageous leader who has demonstrated the determination to take difficult but necessary decisions…”
He continued: “The task before us is to consolidate the gains, deepen the reforms and ensure that the promise of Renewed Hope translates into greater opportunities, improved livelihoods and shared prosperity for our people. We believe that the President deserves the opportunity to complete this work and take Nigeria to the next level.”
This is classic incumbent-party messaging. It concedes that structural problems remain while insisting the direction of travel is correct. It also seeks to reframe public discontent — widely reported in opinion surveys and street-level conversations about the cost of living — as temporary and manageable under continued APC stewardship.
Political Realignments and Party Unity
Yilwatda pointed to recent movements involving the Accord Party, elements of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as signs of a “growing national conversation around the President’s leadership.” Whether these realignments represent genuine ideological convergence or pragmatic calculations by politicians seeking relevance ahead of 2027 remains an open question. What is clear is that the APC is eager to present itself as the only formation with both national reach and governing experience.
The chairman stressed that the party is “united, prepared and confident.” At the same event he presented campaign flags to seven North-West governors seeking re-election: Uba Sani (Kaduna), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto) and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara). The heavy focus on the North-West — a region critical to any successful presidential ticket — underlines the APC’s electoral arithmetic. Tinubu’s 2023 victory depended heavily on strong performances in the South-West and parts of the North. Holding and expanding northern support will be decisive in 2027.
The Cast of Characters
The attendance list itself carried political weight. President Tinubu was present, as were Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and the Vice President’s wife, Nana Shettima. State governors, ministers, senators, House members, former governors, and APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru also attended. The show of force was intended to project institutional solidity and elite consensus around the president’s continued leadership.
Context: Why an Early Campaign?
Nigeria’s political calendar has grown increasingly front-loaded. Parties and candidates begin positioning years in advance because the cost of building structures, mobilising voters, and managing internal crises is high. For the APC, an early formal launch serves several purposes:
• It rallies the base and gives governors and party officials a clear narrative to sell at the state and local levels.
• It attempts to set the terms of debate around “consolidation of reforms” rather than allowing the opposition to define the conversation solely around hardship.
• It signals to potential defectors and fence-sitters that the ruling party intends to fight from a position of strength.
At the same time, the early start carries risks. Economic outcomes between now and 2027 will shape public reception of the “deserves a second term” argument. If inflation eases, growth broadens, and infrastructure delivery becomes more visible, the continuity message will gain traction. If living costs remain punishing and security challenges persist in parts of the country, the same message may sound tone-deaf.
The Opposition Landscape and the Road Ahead
Yilwatda’s confidence sits against a still-fluid opposition environment. The PDP continues to grapple with internal fractures. Other parties and potential coalitions are testing the waters. The APC’s claim that realignments demonstrate Tinubu’s magnetic pull is partly self-serving; it is also a recognition that Nigerian politics remains highly transactional and personality-driven.
The campaign Yilwatda outlined will centre on Tinubu’s achievements, ongoing reforms, and future plans. Expect heavy emphasis on infrastructure projects, fiscal stabilisation measures, and any measurable improvements in revenue or foreign investment. Expect equally vigorous attempts to explain away current difficulties as the unavoidable cost of correcting long-standing distortions in the economy.
A Mandate to Complete the Work
In the end, the Kaduna event was less about detailed policy announcements and more about political framing. The APC is asking Nigerians to judge Tinubu not only on the pain of the past three years but on the unfinished nature of the reforms he has begun. Yilwatda’s message was that the work is incomplete and that the same leadership that started it should be given the chance to finish it.
Whether that argument will persuade a public still navigating high food prices, energy costs, and security concerns will be tested over the coming two years. For now, the ruling party has planted its flag early, claimed the language of continuity and courage, and presented its chairman’s endorsement of a second term as both reward for past decisions and investment in future results.
The 2027 presidential election is still more than two years away. The political contest, however, has already begun in earnest.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers Global, News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Politics and Technology.
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