President Bola Tinubu and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are expected in Kaduna on Saturday for the flag-off of his 2027 re-election campaign, as the ruling party seeks to strengthen its support across northern Nigeria.
The North has a combined 56.01 million registered voters, representing about 54.2 per cent of Nigeria’s 103.43 million electorate, according to figures from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The region’s electoral strength makes it a key battleground ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The rally is particularly significant for Tinubu, who lost Kaduna State in the 2023 presidential election. The APC is projecting confidence ahead of the event, with party leaders claiming growing support among northern political stakeholders and voters. The party has also set a target of mobilising about 40 million votes for Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
Former APC National Vice Chairman for the North-East, Salihu Mustapha, said northern stakeholders were increasingly backing the President, citing political appointments, federal allocations to state governments and security initiatives. He argued that political consensus among community leaders remained influential in determining voting patterns across the region.
“There is a consensus among northern leaders and voters to re-elect President Tinubu,” Mustapha said, adding that the administration had made progress in addressing insecurity and supporting education through initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
APC chieftain Farouk Aliyu also expressed confidence in the party’s prospects, acknowledging that the election would be competitive but insisting that the ruling party would intensify its campaign across the country. He said the APC planned to highlight the administration’s policies and appeal to voters for another term.
The party’s women mobilisation directorate is targeting nearly 40 million votes through grassroots engagement. Dr Betta Edu, co-chair of the APC Presidential Campaign Council’s Directorate of Women Mobilisation, said the strategy would focus on reaching women in markets, communities and households rather than relying solely on large rallies.
However, opposition figures have challenged the APC’s optimism, arguing that economic hardship, high living costs and persistent insecurity could undermine Tinubu’s re-election bid. Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said Nigerians across regional, ethnic and religious divides were experiencing economic difficulties and would express their dissatisfaction at the ballot box.
The APC has also begun preparations for Saturday’s event, with its advance team deployed to Kaduna to coordinate security, protocol, medical services and media operations. Security personnel from several agencies have increased patrols around key locations, while the Kaduna State organising committee, chaired by Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe, has inspected the venue at Kaduna Flagship Stadium.
Meanwhile, the support group Arewa for Asiwaju has set a target of mobilising 10,000 supporters from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory for the rally. The group said the initiative was intended to demonstrate its organisational capacity and strengthen grassroots backing for Tinubu.
The Kaduna flag-off is the first in a series of campaign events planned by the APC, with subsequent rallies scheduled for Calabar, Gombe, Lafia and Ado-Ekiti in early November. As the campaign gathers momentum, the contest is shaping up around competing claims of political support, economic performance and public confidence in the current administration.
