POLITICS
I Won’t Go Everywhere – Tinubu Unleashes APC Campaign Machine; Wike Demands Governors Deliver States
I Won’t Go Everywhere – Tinubu Unleashes APC Campaign Machine; Wike Demands Governors Deliver States
Tinubu hands nationwide mobilisation to campaign council, says governance, debt obligations and investment drive will limit his campaign appearances
APC boasts unmatched political machinery of 31 governors, two allied governors and more than 261,000 party executives
Wike warns governors and campaign chiefs against celebrating Tinubu victory without delivering their states, pledges Rivers, FCT
Adeleke, Soludo and other non-APC figures join broad re-election coalition as ruling party begins push for January 16 presidential poll
October 14, () – President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, formally unleashed the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign machinery for his 2027 re-election bid, telling members of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to take responsibility for delivering the country while warning that he would not abandon governance to accompany them to every campaign event.
At the inauguration of the council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tinubu said Nigeria’s pressing economic responsibilities, debt obligations and the need to attract long-term investment required his continued attention even as the ruling party intensified its nationwide mobilisation ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
The inauguration brought together APC governors and leaders as well as prominent political figures outside the ruling party, including Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
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The cross-party composition of the campaign structure emerged as one of the clearest features of Tinubu’s re-election strategy, with Wike coordinating Rivers State and the FCT, Adeleke coordinating Osun and Soludo taking charge of Anambra. The appointments were contained in the APC’s revised campaign council released ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration.
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Tinubu, addressing the council, acknowledged concerns that the demands of electioneering could distract him from his responsibilities as President.
“You’ve warned me not to allow the rigour of the campaign to distract me from governance; I hear you. I am in full agreement with your decision. Nigeria needs more attention now”, he said.
He consequently told campaign officials not to expect him at every rally or mobilisation event, saying they had been assembled to take the campaign directly to Nigerians in the states, local government areas and wards.
“So, you will excuse me from going everywhere with you; we have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait”, Tinubu stated.
The President said his administration must continue working to strengthen the economy and attract investors prepared to make long-term commitments to Nigeria.
“We want those investors to come in, be here to stay, to invest for the future of our children”, he added.
Tinubu, however, made clear that his decision to concentrate on governance would not amount to withdrawing from the campaign.
“However, I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians, even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas”, he told the council.
Tinubu described the inauguration as extending beyond the formal launch of an election organisation, portraying it as a renewal of the governing party’s commitment to Nigerians.
“We have not gathered merely to inaugurate a council. We have gathered to renew a covenant. A covenant with the Nigerian people and the historic responsibility they have entrusted to us as Nigeria’s governing party”, the APC Presidential candidate said.
According to him, members of the PCC have the responsibility of carrying the administration’s record, vision and agenda into communities nationwide.
“This council will carry our vision, our records and our agenda to every Nigerian, and it will carry them to victory in every ward of this country,” he said.
Tinubu also used the occasion to praise APC members over the conduct of the party’s congresses, recalling predictions that the exercise could trigger internal crises.
“They said there will be implosion. We passed through it. We did not fail. You didn’t let us down. We got here together”, he noted.
APC Boasts Of Nationwide Political Machine
APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda declared that no opposition party could match the ruling partys organisational structure heading into the election
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, meanwhile, declared that no opposition party could match the ruling party’s organisational structure heading into the election.
Yilwatda said the APC had more than 261,000 party executive members and 31 governors, alongside support from two governors belonging to other political platforms.
“No political party has our structure; we have over 261,000 party exco members and 31 governors, with two other governors supporting from different parties”, he said.
Yilwatda said the presence of political figures from outside the APC at the inauguration demonstrated the breadth of support being assembled behind Tinubu’s bid for a second term. His claims about the party’s structure and the presence of Wike, Adeleke and Soludo at Wednesday’s event were separately reported following the inauguration.
“Your presence here makes our shared commitment as a party clear; we want a better country, supporting Mr President and Vice President to return for a second term. The atmosphere shows all kinds of victory even before the election”, he said.
The chairman argued that the administration had recorded progress in infrastructure and other areas that campaign officials could take to voters.
“President Bola Tinubu has made tremendous progress over the last few years in projects that can be visibly seen, felt and touched”, he stated.
Yilwatda, however, also urged the campaign organisation not to pretend that the administration had solved every problem confronting Nigerians.
He said the PCC should acknowledge areas where challenges remained while explaining what the government had done and what it intended to do next.
“We have made so much progress but must acknowledge where we have challenges while explaining the objectives, progress and continuing work of the administration”, Yilwatda said, describing the campaign’s task as presenting a record of performance, an assessment of outstanding difficulties and the government’s programme for the future.
Wike: Deliver Your States Or Don’t Claim Victory
Tinubu and Wike – NEWS MEDIA” decoding=”async” class=”size-full wp-image-471177″ src=”https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1.jpg” alt=”Two Nigerian men smiling for the camera in traditional outfits: one in white agbada with a red cap, the other in blue agbada with a blue cap, colorful flags behind them.” width=”1200″ height=”675″ srcset=”https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1.jpg 1200w, https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1-300×169.jpg 300w, https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1-1024×576.jpg 1024w, https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1-747×420.jpg 747w, https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1-150×84.jpg 150w, https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1-696×392.jpg 696w, https://thewillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tinubu-and-Wike-1-1068×601.jpg 1068w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”/>President Bola Tinubu left with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike
Wike, who has been assigned the politically significant task of coordinating Tinubu’s campaign in both Rivers State and the FCT, delivered a tougher message to governors and other members of the campaign council.
The FCT Minister warned that holding a senior position in the campaign structure would count for little if officials failed to secure votes for Tinubu in the areas under their political control.
“I want to say, if you don’t deliver your states and the president wins, don’t say we’ve won. It’s not a question of whether I am chairman, secretary or member of this. What is important is for the president to win”, Wike charged.
He specifically cited Lagos, Tinubu’s traditional political base, to underscore his argument that every campaign leader should be held responsible for performance in his or her territory.
“I told the Chief of Staff to the President, if the president doesn’t win in Lagos, don’t say we’ve won”, he said.
For his own assignments, Wike pledged a strong showing in Rivers and Abuja.
“By the grace of God, Rivers and FCT will vote massively for Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, he declared.
The former Rivers State governor also praised Soludo and Adeleke for attending the inauguration, presenting their presence as evidence that Tinubu’s support was extending beyond formal APC membership.
Wike defended the administration’s performance, arguing that previous governments had identified many of Nigeria’s longstanding problems without taking sufficient steps to resolve them.
He maintained that a credible opposition should point out problems requiring government attention rather than oppose policies simply because they were introduced by the party in power.
Despite taking a leading role in Tinubu’s APC campaign, Wike maintained his membership and political standing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“As an opposition party member, as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, there are no two leaders of the PDP. I am the leader”, he said.
His appointment to coordinate the President’s campaign in Rivers and the FCT highlights the increasingly cross-party character of Tinubu’s re-election organisation.
The revised PCC also puts Adeleke in charge of the Tinubu campaign in Osun and Soludo in charge in Anambra, although neither is an APC governor. The revised council similarly includes a wide range of serving and former governors, ministers, lawmakers and political figures.
Wike challenged officials of the six FCT area councils to deny that Tinubu’s administration had made an impact in the territory.
“I challenge any area council that can say they don’t feel the impact of Mr President in Abuja”, he said.
Yari Leads Campaign, Uzodimma Serves As Secretary
Former Zamfara State Governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari
Under the campaign structure, Tinubu chairs the PCC, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima and Yilwatda serve as vice-chairmen.
Former Zamfara State Governor and serving senator, Abdulaziz Yari, is Director-General, while Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma serves as secretary.
The expanded leadership also includes Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as deputy vice-chairmen.
Among the deputy directors-general are Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. Senator Adams Oshiomhole handles mobilisation, while presidential Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila is responsible for administration.
The council’s inauguration effectively moves the APC’s preparations from the construction of its campaign structure to nationwide mobilisation, with state coordinators expected to carry much of the responsibility for grassroots organisation while Tinubu balances electioneering with presidential duties.
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