President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accused opposition parties of drawing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) into early political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, but insisted that his government would not be distracted from delivering quality leadership to Nigerians.
Tinubu made the remarks on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, during a meeting with North East governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The delegation, led by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, presented key concerns bordering on insecurity, infrastructure, and environmental challenges facing the region.
The President, however, used the occasion to warn against premature political distractions, stressing that his focus remains on implementing the “Renewed Hope Agenda.” According to him, the opposition is attempting to drag his administration into campaign mode long before the proper time, but he will remain committed to governance.
“Politics will happen at a given time. It is maturity. I will not be distracted from providing the leadership Nigerians deserve,” Tinubu said. He further assured the governors that his government will continue to pursue security reforms, including closer collaboration with civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) groups, and hinted at the possibility of engaging the National Assembly to explore the creation of state police.
The North East governors, in their presentation, reaffirmed support for the President’s administration and outlined pressing priorities. These included:
- Strengthening military and security operations in insurgency-prone areas.
- Expanding key road networks and accelerating railway link projects to open up the region.
- Implementing flood control and desertification management programmes to safeguard communities.
- Investing in manpower training and agricultural technology to improve productivity and resilience under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
But despite Tinubu’s insistence that opposition figures were the ones heating up the polity, records show that the ruling APC itself was the first to officially set the tone for 2027 politics. As far back as May 22, 2025, the APC National Leadership, under National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, held a summit in Abuja where the party formally endorsed President Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 elections. The motion was moved by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and seconded by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani.
Before that, the APC Southeast caucus, led by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, had already openly endorsed Tinubu, claiming to be the first region to push for a national endorsement. Similarly, on June 15, 2025, APC leaders in the North East, meeting in Gombe, endorsed Tinubu in a move that sparked mild controversy for omitting Vice President Kashim Shettima’s name in the initial declaration.
Following the national declaration, state and regional APC chapters, Oyo, and Abia quickly lined up behind the President, while defections from opposition governors, including Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, further bolstered Tinubu’s early re-election drive.
Observers note that while the President publicly blames opposition parties for premature campaigns, it was the APC’s wave of endorsements — beginning in the Southeast and culminating at the May 22 national summit — that effectively kick-started the race for 2027. The opposition’s alliance-building and coalition talks only gathered momentum after APC’s open declarations, as rivals scrambled to counter the ruling party’s early show of strength.
Nevertheless, Tinubu insists his administration will prioritize governance over politics. “Our agenda is clear. We are here to build Nigeria, secure our nation, and uplift the lives of our people. The time for politics will come, but until then, we must focus on service,” he told the governors