Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians in the North to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, assuring the region that it has nothing to fear about another four years of the administration.
Shettima maintained that the North had benefited from the policies, appointments, agricultural interventions and infrastructure projects introduced by the Tinubu administration, adding that the region stood to gain more if the president secured a second term.
The vice president made the remarks at the State House in Abuja while receiving members of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a political group campaigning for Tinubu’s re-election.
With political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gathering momentum, Shettima called on northern political leaders and residents to unite behind the administration and support its continuation beyond 2027.
He said the government remained committed to the development of the region and the welfare of its people.
“Let’s unite as a people and work for the development of our region and the progress of our people through the re-election of this administration. We are benefiting and we stand to benefit more from this government in many ways,” Shettima said.
To support his argument, the vice president cited the Bank of Agriculture’s disbursement of ₦450 billion to 700,000 smallholder farmers across the country.
According to him, approximately 70 per cent of the beneficiaries were from northern Nigeria, demonstrating the impact of the administration’s agricultural financing initiatives on the region.
Shettima also pointed to major infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Federal Government, assuring the delegation that Tinubu remained committed to the North.
“The present administration is working towards completing landmark and groundbreaking projects in parts of the country. I can assure you that the president loves the North and the president will work for the North,” he said.
The vice president thanked the group for its support and urged members to intensify their mobilisation efforts across wards, communities and local government areas ahead of the presidential election.
Earlier, the Director-General of Arewa for Asiwaju and former Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, said the group would continue its campaign until Tinubu secured re-election.
Badaru disclosed that the organisation was engaging prominent Nigerians, including Muslim and Christian religious leaders, to build wider support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
He said discussions with influential personalities were already ongoing, adding that the group’s Board of Trustees would continue meeting stakeholders to strengthen support for the administration.
Badaru also said the organisation was working with the Presidential Campaign Council while focusing on grassroots mobilisation across the North.
The Chairman of the group’s Board of Trustees and former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, said the organisation, which supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, was determined to repeat the effort in 2027.
Shekarau disclosed that the group had been engaging northern governors and other stakeholders to identify areas of cooperation that could improve the president’s chances of re-election.
He added that plans had been concluded to establish a permanent secretariat to coordinate the group’s activities, monitor developments and provide directives to members across the region.
Shekarau also invited Shettima to inaugurate the organisation’s office complex on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Several former governors and senior government officials attended the meeting, including Joshua Dariye, Simon Lalong, Jolly Nyame, Yahaya Bello, Ibrahim Shema and Isa Yuguda. The President’s Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, and the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Buba Marwa, were also present.
Idris Says Tinubu’s Economic Reforms Are Producing Results
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration are beginning to produce measurable results, despite the continued hardship facing many Nigerian households.
Idris identified declining inflation, rising foreign exchange reserves, improved oil production and increased investment in infrastructure and social programmes as signs of progress.
He spoke during a media interaction with senior editors at Radio House in Abuja, where he discussed the administration’s economic policies, security operations, social investments and implementation of its Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister acknowledged that many Nigerians were still struggling with the high cost of food, transportation, energy and other essential goods and services.
He said the government’s priority was to ensure that improvements in the country’s economic indicators translated into better living conditions, increased purchasing power and more affordable necessities.
“Our task now is to ensure that this clear macroeconomic recovery is felt even more widely in the lives and households of Nigerians,” Idris said.
He noted that Nigeria’s economy was projected to grow by more than four per cent in 2026, while improvements in the country’s external position and foreign exchange market were helping to restore investor confidence.
According to him, Nigeria recorded a current account surplus of $12 billion in the first half of 2026, compared with $8.6 billion during the corresponding period in 2025.
Idris also said inflation had declined from approximately 27 per cent in January 2025 to around 15 per cent at the time of the briefing. However, he stressed that the government’s ultimate objective was to bring inflation into single digits.
The minister further disclosed that Nigeria’s external reserves exceeded $54 billion in September, representing their highest level in almost two decades.
He cited reports indicating that the reserves had risen to approximately $55.07 billion on October 8, based on Central Bank of Nigeria data.
Idris added that the World Bank projected average annual economic growth of 4.4 per cent through 2028, subject to the continuation of reforms and improvements in public service delivery.
He also revealed that Nigeria earned more than $6 billion from non-oil exports in 2025, describing the figure as the highest in the country’s history.
According to him, the earnings supported businesses operating in agriculture, mining, petrochemicals, manufacturing, processing, transportation and logistics.
Idris argued that stronger external reserves, improved oil production, increased non-oil exports and a more stable foreign exchange market were creating opportunities for domestic investment and economic diversification.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the government still needed to ensure that these developments translated into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.
FG Highlights Infrastructure Investments
The information minister identified infrastructure development as a major strategy for creating jobs, stimulating economic activities and improving the movement of goods and services.
He explained that road construction projects generate employment and income for contractors, engineers, artisans, suppliers, transport operators and food vendors.
According to Idris, completed roads would also improve connectivity, facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce and provide rural communities with better access to markets.
He said the administration’s four legacy projects covered approximately 3,000 kilometres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The projects form part of broader investments in roads, railways, ports, electricity, healthcare and education.
Idris also highlighted a recently approved highway project valued at approximately ₦1.5 trillion in Niger State, saying it was expected to improve connectivity along an important agricultural and commercial corridor.
He maintained that the infrastructure projects were designed to create business opportunities, reduce transportation difficulties and strengthen links between rural producers and urban markets.
On food security, the minister said the administration was prioritising increased agricultural production and improved earnings for farmers.
He listed mechanisation, access to agricultural inputs, irrigation development and agricultural financing among the measures being implemented to strengthen the sector.
According to him, increasing domestic food production would improve supply, support rural economies and help reduce the cost of food for Nigerian households.
Government Highlights Healthcare And Education Programmes
Idris also highlighted investments in healthcare and education, describing them as essential to improving living standards and expanding access to basic services.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had commissioned two additional cancer treatment centres, bringing the number commissioned under the initiative to five.
The government, he said, was working towards making a total of 10 cancer treatment centres available across the country.
He added that the administration was also pursuing the revitalisation of primary healthcare facilities to improve access to medical services.
On education, Idris said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund had supported more than 1.6 million students.
According to him, more than ₦192 billion had been paid as institutional fees, while approximately ₦180 billion had been provided to students as upkeep allowances.
He said the student loan programme was intended to reduce the financial burden of tertiary education on students, parents and guardians.
The minister also highlighted the Three Million Technical Talent programme, which seeks to equip young Nigerians with digital skills in areas such as software development, data science and cybersecurity.
He said the initiative was expected to improve young people’s employment opportunities while supporting Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts.
FG Reports Progress In CNG And Electric Vehicle Initiative
The minister disclosed that the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicle Initiative had attracted approximately $2.5 billion in private investment, alongside about ₦250 billion in government funding and commitments.
He said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted under the programme, while over 400 certified conversion centres had been established nationwide.
According to Idris, Nigeria also had more than 90 refuelling stations, with approximately 180 additional stations under development.
He said the growing network of conversion centres and refuelling facilities was creating employment and business opportunities in different communities.
The initiative, he added, formed part of the government’s efforts to provide alternative energy options and reduce the pressure of rising energy costs on households and businesses.
FG Issues Bonds To Settle Pension And Power Sector Debts
Idris further disclosed that the Federal Government had issued a ₦758 billion bond to settle pension arrears dating back to 2007, with nearly one million pensioners expected to benefit.
He described the move as part of efforts to address outstanding financial obligations and improve the welfare of retired workers.
The minister also said the government had issued ₦1.2 trillion in bonds to settle inherited debts owed to electricity generation and gas companies.
According to him, clearing the outstanding obligations would help improve confidence in the power sector and create conditions for new investments.
He also disclosed that the National Social Register was directing support to more than 10 million households, while the Consumer Credit Corporation was helping working Nigerians spread the cost of essential purchases.
Idris Lists Security Gains
On security, the minister said the protection of lives and property remained a primary responsibility of the Federal Government.
He said the administration had strengthened the operational capacity of the Armed Forces, intelligence services and other security agencies through improved coordination, equipment, logistics and support for personnel.
According to Idris, security operations across several parts of the country had recorded successes against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.
He said some terrorist commanders and criminal leaders had been neutralised, insurgent networks disrupted, hostages rescued and criminal hideouts dismantled.
The minister also highlighted operations in the Niger Delta targeting crude oil theft, illegal refining and pipeline vandalism, saying the efforts had contributed to improved oil production and the protection of government revenue.
However, he acknowledged that rising fuel and energy costs continued to place pressure on households, businesses and the wider economy.
He said the government remained committed to its economic reforms while pursuing measures to expand affordable energy alternatives, strengthen domestic production and reduce the cost of living.
Science Minister Backs Tinubu’s Second-Term Bid
Meanwhile, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, has defended Tinubu’s re-election bid, arguing that the president should be given another four years to consolidate the economic reforms introduced by his administration.
Udeh, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, made the position known during an appearance on Arise News Prime Time.
He expressed confidence that Tinubu had the capacity to lead Nigeria out of its current economic difficulties.
The minister also supported the argument that the presidency should remain in the South until 2031, in line with the country’s power rotation arrangement.
He argued that the South-West should retain the presidency because Tinubu comes from the region, while acknowledging that the South-East had yet to produce an elected Nigerian president.
Udeh, however, noted that winning the presidency ultimately depended on building relationships across the country’s geopolitical zones and securing votes from different parts of Nigeria.
Explaining the APC’s argument for Tinubu’s re-election, the minister said the president had introduced reforms that were beginning to produce positive results, although their full impact was yet to be felt by all Nigerians.
He argued that Nigeria’s economic growth had improved from approximately two per cent in 2023 to around four per cent, while increased revenue available to state and local governments had created opportunities for development projects.
Udeh also cited infrastructure and transportation developments in Enugu State as examples of progress recorded under the current administration.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that inflation and economic hardship remained major concerns for Nigerians.
“We know that there’s inflation. We know that there’s still hardship. But we also know that Nigeria has been put on the track for development, to come out from economic hardship,” he said.
The comments come as the Tinubu administration faces growing political activity ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with its supporters calling for continuity while many Nigerians continue to demand improvements in living conditions.
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