PRESIDENT TINUBU INAUGURATES 81KM ABUJA-KADUNA HIGHWAY AT CAMPAIGN FLAG-OFF, SAYS THE OPPONENTS CREATED POVERTY

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday in Kaduna at the flag-off of his presidential campaign for the 2027 general elections, took a swipe at opposition leaders, accusing them of creating the poverty and hunger they now use to campaign against him.

“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created the hunger; they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” President Tinubu said at the well-attended rally at the Ranchers Bees Stadium.

His jibe was apparently directed at the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who served as vice-president between 1999 and 2007, during which many State-run businesses were privatised without paying the gratuities and pensions of thousands of laid-off workers. Tinubu’s administration has been paying those workers.

At the rally, President Tinubu inaugurated the 81-kilometre section of the Kaduna-Abuja highway with a symbolic ribbon-cutting.

The President recalled Kaduna’s historical significance as the city of leaders and the political headquarters of the northern region, adding that his administration has been working to eradicate poverty in the country.

President Tinubu thanked the people of Kaduna State for trusting him with their mandate in the 2023 elections and urged them to vote for him again, citing his record of achievements and investments in critical economic infrastructure in Kaduna State and the entire Northern region.

The rally was attended by All Progressives National Chairman, Professor Netanwe Yilwatda, Vice President Kashim Shettima, wife of the President and wife of the Vice President, 32 Governors of the APC and former National Chairman of the APC, Senator Adamu Abdullahi, former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, among other party leaders

In his remarks, Vice President Kashim Shettima reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to national unity, democratic stability and economic development, urging Nigerians to support the administration for continuity.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima at the flag-off of the APC Tinubu–Shettima 2027 Presidential Campaign at the Ranchers Bees Stadium, Kaduna, on Saturday, October 24, 2026

Senator Shettima recalled President Tinubu’s support for northern presidential candidates in previous elections, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, who won the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.

He also cited Tinubu’s support for northern political leaders in earlier presidential contests, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, describing the gesture as a demonstration of political loyalty, mutual respect and commitment to national unity.

The Vice President maintained that such political relationships had strengthened the APC and reinforced the need for Nigerians to work together towards a united and prosperous country.

He called on party members and supporters to sustain their solidarity with President Tinubu as the party seeks another mandate to continue its programmes for national development.

“We won the last election because you saw the best option before you. For the good people of Kaduna State, we have seen why you stood with us within the mandate of the APC, a mandate to redeem the fortune of this great state. This wisdom has made Kaduna State a unified place,” Vice President Shettima said.

In his welcome address, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, commended President Tinubu for supporting state governments in implementing development programmes and pursuing their respective priorities.

Governor Uba Sani said collaboration between the Federal and state governments was essential to achieving sustainable development, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture and initiatives designed to improve citizens’ welfare.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to the welfare of women, children and families, describing such interventions as an important aspect of national development.

The governor urged APC supporters to remain vigilant against misinformation during the electioneering period, particularly misleading materials circulated on social media and content allegedly generated using artificial intelligence.

Similarly, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, expressed confidence in the party’s ability to mobilise support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

Yari commended Governor Uba Sani, party leaders and other stakeholders for their collective efforts in organising the campaign flag-off, describing their participation as a demonstration of the party’s commitment to its political objectives.

He also defended the administration’s economic reforms, citing developments in the foreign exchange market, and urged Nigerians to assess the government based on its policies and performance.

The former Zamfara State governor further called on party supporters to guard against misinformation, expressing confidence in the APC’s political organisation, its experience in previous elections, and its track record.

Also speaking at the event during the virtual commissioning of Lot 1 (81 km) of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi highlighted infrastructure projects the Tinubu administration is undertaking in the North-West and across the country.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
October 24, 2026