President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council that their political work will not be complete until they secure victory in the 2027 general election, urging party leaders to intensify mobilisation while ensuring that governance does not suffer.
Tinubu gave the charge on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, while inaugurating the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, declaring that the ruling party was united and prepared to renew its covenant with Nigerians.
Addressing council members, governors and other party chieftains, the President expressed gratitude for their contributions to his emergence in the last election but cautioned that previous electoral success was not enough to guarantee another victory.
He challenged party leaders to demonstrate their commitment by delivering votes in their respective wards and constituencies during the forthcoming election.
“I thank all of you for the last election, but no one gets credit for an incomplete assignment until you deliver the next election, until you deliver your electoral wards, until you deliver the votes,” Tinubu said.
The President stressed that unity, discipline and a common purpose would be essential to the campaign, urging members to work collectively towards achieving the party’s electoral objectives.
He also acknowledged the advice of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, who had cautioned him against allowing the demands of campaigning to distract him from his responsibilities as President.
Tinubu described the advice as timely, assuring Nigerians that his administration would continue to focus on governance even as the APC intensifies its preparations for the 2027 polls.
He said he would still make time to communicate directly with Nigerians while the campaign council undertook political mobilisation across states and local government areas.
The President also highlighted the need to meet the country’s financial obligations and attract foreign investment, arguing that investors remained important to Nigeria’s economic future.
“We have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait. We want those investors to come in and invest for the future of our children,” he said.
Tinubu further charged campaign council members to engage Nigerians responsibly and communicate the policies and programmes of his administration under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Uzodimma, in his remarks, assured the President that governors and other party leaders would work to communicate the APC’s message effectively to voters across the country.
The President also commended Vice President Kashim Shettima for his speech at the event, praising his oratory and what he described as his patriotic commitment to national development.
He equally acknowledged the contributions of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, to the achievements recorded during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.
Reflecting on efforts to address the threat posed by the Atlantic Ocean along the Lagos coastline, Tinubu said the experience demonstrated the importance of daring to pursue ambitious development projects.
“There is a limit, but there is no limit in daring. We dared the Atlantic Ocean, and the result is the Atlantic City in Lagos,” he said.
Earlier, Shettima praised Tinubu’s political courage and commitment to democratic development, citing his support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2007 presidential election.
The Vice President recalled that Tinubu supported Atiku’s presidential ambition under the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, using the example to underscore the President’s history of political alliances.
Shettima also criticised Atiku for what he described as disrespect towards the office of the President, insisting that political disagreements should not diminish the dignity of the country’s highest elected office.
“You can call him Bola, if you like, call him Adekunle, but he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Shettima said.
The Vice President also took aim at Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Movement, accusing him of using questionable statistics and comparing Nigeria with other countries without sufficient context.
The inauguration signals the APC’s intensifying preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with the party leadership seeking to combine nationwide political mobilisation with continued implementation of the administration’s policies and programmes.
