The six governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-Central region have reaffirmed their support for President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The governors made their position known at the North-Central grand rally and endorsement of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket held in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Saturday.
The rally also witnessed a declaration by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, who said the region had adopted Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Akume, who serves as grand patron of the North Central Grassroots Mobilisation Network for Tinubu/Shettima 2027, said political stakeholders in the region had agreed to support the president for a second term.
“By the authority of this great congregation, I, Senator George Akume, hereby propose that the people of the North-Central States meeting here have resolved that, come 2027, our sole candidate is His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. There is no other candidate,” he said.
The SGF urged Nigerians to support continuity in leadership, arguing that Tinubu should be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure in line with the power-rotation understanding reached by political leaders in Kaduna in 1999.
He maintained that the arrangement was designed to promote political balance and understanding between the northern and southern parts of the country.
Akume also defended the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, pointing to infrastructure development, increased allocations to state and local governments, and reforms in the financial sector as evidence of progress.
He highlighted projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the proposed Badagry-Sokoto Highway, saying they could improve connectivity and create economic opportunities across the country.
On the removal of petrol subsidy, Akume argued that the decision required political courage and warned against promises to reverse the policy without carefully considering the potential economic consequences.
He further cited the establishment of additional universities and the introduction of student loans as efforts to expand access to higher education.
Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, who chairs the North-Central Governors Forum, seconded the motion for Tinubu and Shettima’s re-election on behalf of APC governors in the region.
Sule said the administration had recorded progress in oil production, foreign reserves and financial sector capitalisation, while also implementing education financing initiatives through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
“I, Engr. A.A. Sule, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State and the Chairman of North Central Governors Forum, I hereby move for the re-election of Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Kashim Shettima for the second tenure,” he said.
Similarly, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda appealed to residents of the North-Central region to sustain their support for the ruling party at both national and grassroots levels.
Yilwatda also assured First Lady Oluremi Tinubu of the region’s commitment to supporting the president’s re-election campaign.
In her remarks, the First Lady conveyed Tinubu’s goodwill message to the people, highlighting the administration’s stated commitment to national security, unity and economic prosperity.
She referenced the president’s October 1 Independence Day address, titled “From Reforms to Prosperity,” saying the administration’s reform agenda was intended to establish the foundation for improved economic conditions and broader prosperity.
The six APC governors in the region subsequently reaffirmed their support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket and pledged to work towards the election of APC candidates at all levels in 2027.
