President Bola Tinubu has launched his 2027 re-election campaign amid mounting economic hardship and persistent insecurity, as he faces pressure to convince Nigerians that his policies are delivering meaningful improvements.
Tinubu flagged off the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign on Saturday in Kaduna, urging supporters to re-elect him on January 16, 2027.
“Come 2027, January 16, you must go out massively and elect me again,” he told thousands of supporters at Ranchers Bees Stadium.
The President also blamed previous political leaders for the hunger and poverty confronting Nigerians, declaring, “They created the hunger. They created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it.”
His remarks drew a sharp response from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s camp, which accused him of shifting responsibility for the country’s economic difficulties.
Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, described the comments as an attempt to evade accountability for the hardship Nigerians face.
The exchange highlights the economy’s likely prominence in the 2027 contest, with households and businesses still grappling with high food prices, transport costs and expensive essential services.
Since taking office in 2023, Tinubu has removed the petrol subsidy and introduced foreign-exchange reforms, which his administration says have improved public finances and investor confidence. However, the policies have intensified financial pressure on many Nigerians.
Petrol prices reached about N1,400 per litre in Lagos and Abuja in September and as high as N1,500 in parts of northern Nigeria, according to Reuters.
Insecurity presents another challenge for Tinubu, as banditry and kidnappings persist in the North-West while an Islamist insurgency continues in the North-East.
Former Vice-President Atiku and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi are among his major challengers in the forthcoming election.
Tinubu’s camp claims the backing of 32 of Nigeria’s 36 state governors, potentially giving the APC a strong organisational advantage. However, political endorsements do not automatically translate into votes.
The President plans to attend campaign rallies in 12 states rather than all 36, citing the need to balance campaigning with governance. His final major rally is scheduled for Lagos on January 9.
As the election approaches, Tinubu’s economic record, response to insecurity and ability to ease the cost-of-living crisis are likely to remain central to voters’ assessment of his bid for a second term.
