2027: Shettima, wife arrive Kaduna as APC begins Tinubu re-election campaign

Vice-President Kashim Shettima and his wife, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, have arrived in Kaduna State for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off ahead of the 2027 general election.

Their arrival comes as party leaders, APC governors, elected officials, political stakeholders and supporters converge on Kaduna for the formal commencement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

The rally, holding at the Kaduna Township Stadium, marks the ruling party’s first major presidential campaign outing as it seeks to mobilise support for Tinubu’s second term in office. Blueprint reports

The event is expected to provide the APC with a platform to present its policy priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda 2.0, highlight what it considers the achievements of the Tinubu administration and outline its plans for the next phase of governance.

Kaduna takes centre stage

The choice of Kaduna for the campaign flag-off places the North-West at the centre of the APC’s early mobilisation efforts.

Kaduna is a politically significant state in the region, with a large electorate and a history of competitive presidential contests. In the 2023 election, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, then the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, defeated Tinubu in Kaduna, making the state an important battleground in the ruling party’s efforts to consolidate its support ahead of 2027.

The APC is expected to use the rally to strengthen its structures in the North-West and rally party faithful around Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The campaign event is also expected to attract members of the party’s National Working Committee, the Presidential Campaign Council, federal and state lawmakers, serving and former governors, ministers and representatives of support groups.

The party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, and the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, are among the key figures associated with the campaign leadership.

Supporters converge on stadium

The arrival of Shettima and his wife follows days of preparations across Kaduna metropolis, with campaign banners, party flags and other materials displayed at strategic locations.

Support groups from different parts of the country have also travelled to the state for the rally. On Friday, pro-Tinubu groups staged a solidarity march through parts of Kaduna to demonstrate their support for the president’s re-election campaign.

The mobilisation has been coordinated through the Presidential Campaign Council’s support-group structures, which have pledged to extend their activities beyond rallies to grassroots engagement in communities across the country.

The Kaduna State Government, through the rally’s Local Organising Committee, had earlier said arrangements were being made to accommodate participants and ensure adequate security.

Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe, who chairs the committee, said organisers had reviewed the facilities and security arrangements ahead of the event. Authorities also indicated that participants would undergo screening before gaining access to the stadium.

APC to showcase Renewed Hope agenda

The flag-off offers the APC an opportunity to communicate its assessment of the Tinubu administration’s record and set out the priorities it intends to pursue if re-elected.

The campaign is expected to focus on the administration’s policies and interventions in infrastructure, education, healthcare, economic reform and other areas, although the impact of those policies and the challenges facing Nigerians are likely to remain central issues in the wider election debate.

For the ruling party, the campaign will require more than large rallies and public displays of support. It will also involve explaining its policies to voters and responding to concerns about the cost of living, employment, insecurity and the broader state of the economy.

The opposition African Democratic Congress and other political parties are expected to challenge the APC’s record and present alternative proposals as the election approaches.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the 2027 presidential election for January 16, 2027, leaving political parties with a limited period for nationwide campaigns and voter engagement.

With Shettima and his wife now in Kaduna, attention is focused on the stadium, where the APC is set to formally launch its presidential campaign in the presence of party leaders and supporters.

The gathering marks the beginning of a nationwide effort by the ruling party to consolidate its political structures and make its case to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 presidential election.