President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to formally launch his re-election campaign in Kaduna on October 24, 2026, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) begins preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, disclosed this on Friday, October 9, 2026, after meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja to discuss campaign arrangements and the President’s planned visits to states across the country.
Yari said the meeting focused on the council’s level of preparedness, the proposed campaign timetable and the coordination of activities ahead of the presidential election.
He explained that the campaign council’s inaugural meeting had been scheduled for October 14 at the State House Banquet Hall, after which the campaign team would proceed with its nationwide mobilisation.
According to him, Kaduna would host the official campaign flag-off on October 24, with Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Maiduguri, Borno State, listed as the next destinations.
Yari said the President had approved the proposed schedule of state visits, adding that the detailed timetable would be made public after the campaign council’s inauguration.
The former Zamfara State governor also expressed confidence in Tinubu’s chances of securing another term, arguing that a presidential candidate needed substantial political support in both northern and southern Nigeria to win the election.
He maintained that geographical spread would be crucial to the outcome of the contest, insisting that strong support in one region alone would not be sufficient to secure victory nationwide.
Using the political fortunes of former President Muhammadu Buhari as an example, Yari argued that Buhari’s support base in the North had not been enough to deliver the presidency until his political fortunes changed.
By contrast, he claimed that Tinubu had established a considerable political presence in both regions, which he said would strengthen the President’s re-election bid.
Yari also dismissed concerns about the opposition, referring to the political backgrounds of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.
He argued that Tinubu’s past political support for both figures was evidence of his role in their political journeys, expressing the view that the President could not be defeated under the circumstances.
On the administration’s record, Yari maintained that the APC would campaign on what it considered its achievements rather than rely solely on promises.
He claimed that the Tinubu administration had made progress in addressing the challenges it inherited and improving the economy, adding that the campaign would present the government’s record to voters.
Tinubu appointed Yari Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council on August 22, 2026, with Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma named as secretary. The President chairs the council, while Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda serve as vice chairmen.
The campaign preparations come ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Under INEC’s timetable, campaigns for the elections commenced on August 19, 2026, and are scheduled to end on January 15, 2027.
The presidential race includes Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, who is running with former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate, and Peter Obi, who is contesting on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
With the campaign flag-off approaching, the APC is expected to intensify its mobilisation efforts and promote Tinubu’s record as it seeks to secure another four-year mandate in 2027.
