Tinubu Accuses Opposition of Creating Hunger, Poverty as APC Flags Off 2027 Campaign in Kaduna
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday took a swipe at opposition leaders, accusing them of creating the hunger and poverty they now criticise his administration over, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagged off his presidential campaign for the 2027 general elections in Kaduna State.
Speaking at a well-attended rally at the Ranchers Bees Stadium, President Tinubu said his administration was working to address the economic challenges facing Nigerians.
“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,” the President said.
The President’s remarks came amid criticism from opposition figures over the country’s economic situation. His comments also appeared to reference former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who served between 1999 and 2007, a period during which several state-owned enterprises were privatised. The administration said it had been paying outstanding gratuities and pensions to workers affected by such exercises.
At the rally, Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to development, recalling Kaduna’s historical significance as a centre of leadership and the political headquarters of the former Northern Region.
He thanked the people of Kaduna State for supporting him in the 2023 presidential election and urged them to renew his mandate in 2027, citing his administration’s investments in critical infrastructure and economic development in Kaduna and the wider Northern region.
As part of the event, the President symbolically inaugurated an 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway through a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The rally was attended by APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; Vice-President Kashim Shettima; First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu; the wife of the Vice-President; 32 APC governors; former APC National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu; former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje; and other party leaders and stakeholders.
In his remarks, Vice-President Shettima reaffirmed Tinubu’s commitment to national unity, democratic stability and economic development, urging Nigerians to support the administration for continuity.
Shettima recalled 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 referenced Tinubu’s past political support for Northern leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former presidential candidate Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, describing the relationships as evidence of political loyalty, mutual respect and commitment to national unity.
According to the Vice-President, such relationships had strengthened the APC and underscored the importance of collective efforts towards building a united and prosperous country.
He called on party members and supporters to maintain their solidarity with Tinubu as the APC seeks another mandate to continue its development programmes.
“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,” Shettima said.
In his welcome address, Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani commended Tinubu for supporting state governments in implementing development programmes and pursuing their priorities.
He stressed that cooperation between the Federal Government and state governments was essential for sustainable development, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture and initiatives aimed at improving citizens’ welfare.
The governor also acknowledged the contributions of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to the welfare of women, children and families, describing the interventions as an important component of national development.
Sani urged APC supporters to remain vigilant against misinformation during the electioneering period, particularly misleading content circulated on social media and materials 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 Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
Yari commended Governor Sani, party leaders and other stakeholders for their roles 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, pointing to developments in the foreign exchange market, and urged Nigerians to assess the government based on its policies and performance.
The former Zamfara State governor called on party supporters to guard against misinformation, expressing confidence in the APC’s political organisation, electoral experience and track record.
Also speaking during the virtual commissioning of Lot 1, covering 81 kilometres of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, the Minister of Works, Engineer Dave Umahi, highlighted infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Tinubu administration in the North-West and other parts of the country.
Tinubu Accuses Opposition of Creating Hunger, Poverty as APC Flags Off 2027 Campaign in Kaduna