A member of the media and strategic communications committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Obafemi George, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision not to visit all 36 states during his re-election campaign, saying the president will prioritise governance while the party mobilises support for his second term.
Mr George said the president had assessed the country’s electoral map and decided that sustaining the gains of his administration was more important than embarking on a nationwide campaign tour.
He spoke on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Thursday, amid preparations by the APC for the 2027 presidential election.
“The president has looked at the electoral map of the country and decided that what is more important at this time is to sustain the gains for Nigerians,” he said.
Mr George argued that there was no constitutional requirement for a presidential candidate to visit every state during an election campaign.
He said Mr Tinubu would continue to promote his administration’s policies while ensuring that government business did not suffer during the campaign period.
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👉 JOIN GISTSMATE WHATSAPP CHANNELTinubu’s Economic Reforms
Mr George also defended the president’s economic policies, arguing that the reforms had restored investor confidence and created opportunities for economic growth, despite the hardship experienced by Nigerians.
He said investors had been leaving Nigeria before Mr Tinubu assumed office in May 2023 because of inflation, macroeconomic instability and difficulties accessing foreign exchange.
According to him, some international companies and financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase and Shell, have since shown renewed interest in Nigeria because of the country’s economic outlook.
“They are coming to Nigeria to invest because of the growth trajectory,” he said.
Mr George cited the removal of petrol subsidy as one of the administration’s major economic decisions, noting that Nigeria had previously spent more than 90 per cent of its revenue on subsidy payments.
He also criticised opposition politicians who have promised to reverse some of the administration’s policies, saying all presidential candidates in 2023 had supported subsidy removal.
He argued that economic restructuring often comes with temporary hardship and said the administration’s reforms were intended to address longstanding structural problems.
Mr George maintained that economic indicators cited by institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund supported the administration’s position that the economy was moving towards recovery.
NELFUND, healthcare reforms
Mr George also highlighted social intervention programmes introduced under Mr Tinubu, particularly the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides financial support to eligible students in tertiary institutions.
He said the scheme had expanded access to higher education for students who might otherwise struggle to pay their fees.
The official noted that the administration had also introduced healthcare interventions to support indigent women, including funding for medical procedures.
He further cited reforms intended to improve access to dialysis treatment, arguing that the measures would help people who previously struggled to afford the procedure.
Mr George said beneficiaries of these programmes and other government interventions would help communicate the administration’s achievements to voters ahead of the 2027 election.
Why Governors Are Backing Tinubu
Mr George also rejected suggestions that the backing of 33 state governors for Mr Tinubu was driven solely by the advantages of incumbency.
He argued that the governors were supporting the president because they had benefited from the administration’s economic policies, which he said had increased the resources available to state and local governments.
“They are supporting the president because they are performing at the sub-national level, and that performance is only possible because of the macroeconomic policy at the centre. Allocation has tripled,” he said.
“That is why a local government can now build roads.”
Mr George said the administration would focus on consolidating its reforms rather than reversing key policies ahead of the election.
He ruled out a return to pre-2023 fuel prices or foreign exchange arrangements within 90 days, arguing that economic transformation could not happen overnight.
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