2027: APC Governors Move To Restrict Tinubu’s Campaign Appearances

A report has claimed that governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are seeking to limit President Bola Tinubu’s appearance during the 2027 presidential campaign.

Naija News reports that the claim comes amid the president’s conspicuous absence from the APC mega rally held in Nasarawa State on Saturday.

According to Daily Sun, the governors plan to meet Tinubu this week and seek his approval for a campaign strategy that would limit his appearances and put governors and other party leaders at the forefront of nationwide mobilisation.

Under the template, governors and party leaders would lead rallies, grassroots mobilisation, and other public-facing activities, while Tinubu would make selective appearances at politically strategic events.

The proposal reflects concerns about the President’s standing in parts of the North, South-South and South-East, as well as the risks of repeated appearances before large crowds.

The governors believe a controlled deployment would protect Tinubu from the physical demands and potential controversies of the campaign while allowing them to use their local structures to strengthen the party nationwide.

Sources within the party told the aforementioned publication that the governors would use their meeting with Tinubu to formally present the new template and seek his endorsement for an arrangement that would substantially reduce his exposure to the day-to-day demands of the campaign trail.

Under the proposal, the governors would lead mobilisation across the country, with Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, expected to play a coordinating role.

The organisational structure the President has already established would, however, continue to operate alongside the APC’s National Working Committee.

Sources stressed that the plan does not envisage completely taking Tinubu out of the campaign.

“He may still be brought in on limited occasions when circumstances demand his presence. The principal expectation, however, is that he would remain largely insulated from the day-to-day campaign activities.

“The one event in which his participation is considered most likely is the grand finale of the campaign, at which he would deliver a major address and appear before the party faithful,” a high-profile source familiar with the discussions said.

According to sources, the governors are particularly concerned about what they perceive as declining support for the President in sections of the North, South-South and South-East, while believing that his political base remains comparatively stronger in the South-West.

Against this backdrop, some governors are said to have concluded that repeatedly putting the President before large campaign crowds may carry more political risks than benefits. They are also said to be mindful of controversies that followed some of Tinubu’s public appearances during the 2023 presidential campaign, when verbal slips and other incidents became subjects of opposition attacks and social media commentary.

The governors, according to sources, believe a recurrence during the 2027 campaign could give the opposition ammunition and distract attention from the message the ruling party intends to take to the electorate.

Consequently, they are pushing for what a source described as a “controlled deployment” of the President, with governors, ministers, party leaders and other campaign officials carrying much of the burden of rallies and grassroots mobilisation

The meeting with Tinubu is expected to determine the precise division of responsibilities and secure his approval for the proposed arrangement.

For the governors, sources said, the calculation is straightforward: deploy the President where his presence would deliver maximum political value while shielding him from appearances they believe could expose the campaign to avoidable risks.