*Shettima urges North to repay president
By Obaike Odihue
President Bola Tinubu has blamed the opposition for the hunger and poverty confronting Nigerians, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged the North to reciprocate the president’s past support for northern political leaders by backing his re-election bid in 2027.
The duo spoke on Saturday at the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign at Ranchers Bees Stadium, Kaduna, which attracted a massive crowd and almost all APC governors.
While Tinubu challenged the opposition over its criticism of the country’s economic situation, Shettima appealed to northern voters to support the president, citing his political alliances with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the late President Muhammadu Buhari and other northern leaders.
Tinubu, who sought the electorate’s mandate for a second term, accused opposition politicians of creating the hunger and poverty they now criticise his administration over, insisting that his government was working to address the challenges.
“I hear my opponent talking about hunger, poverty. Who created it? They did. They created the hunger. They created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” the president said.
He defended his administration’s performance, citing regular salary payments and the developmental efforts of APC governors as evidence of progress.
Tinubu also dismissed his opponents as failures, saying they had nothing to offer Nigerians, while promising prosperity, economic recovery, growth and greater opportunities under a second term.
“Our opponents are angry because they are failures. They have nothing to offer you,” he said.
The president thanked Kaduna residents for supporting him in the previous election and urged them to renew his mandate, promising continuity, progress and development.
He also appealed to young Nigerians to support his administration, urging eligible voters to obtain and use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Tinubu further called on APC supporters to vote for the party’s candidates at all levels, including governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and state Houses of Assembly.
On economic reforms, he declared that fuel subsidy removal was in the past and pledged to tackle corruption, falsification of invoices, smuggling and dishonesty.
He also praised APC governors for their development efforts and regular payment of salaries, expressing confidence in their contributions to the country’s progress.
Shettima seeks North’s support
In his remarks, Shettima urged northern Nigerians to support Tinubu in 2027, arguing that the president had demonstrated loyalty to northern political leaders at critical moments and deserved reciprocal support.
He recalled Tinubu’s support for Atiku when the former vice-president left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and sought an alternative political platform ahead of the 2007 presidential election.
Shettima also cited Tinubu’s backing of former presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu in 2011 and Buhari in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.
According to the vice-president, Tinubu’s political history demonstrated his willingness to cooperate with leaders across regional lines.
“This is a mark of honour and our faith in a man of honour,” Shettima said, appealing to the North to sustain its relationship with the president.
He expressed gratitude to supporters for standing by the APC-led administration, saying the government had continued to pursue national stability and economic recovery despite political disagreements and what he described as falsehoods and hypocrisy.
Shettima also urged Kaduna residents to renew Governor Uba Sani’s mandate and support APC candidates across the ballot.
Education, infrastructure take centre stage
The vice-president highlighted the Kaduna State Government’s efforts to strengthen education, citing the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, and the transition of the Federal University of Education, Zaria.
He also referenced vocational education initiatives in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf, claiming that more than 4,000 people had graduated from the institutions.
Shettima further cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as part of efforts to expand access to higher education, particularly for students from less privileged backgrounds.
On infrastructure, he listed the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, Kano-Maradi Railway, Lagos-Kano rail corridor and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road among projects he said were making progress.
He also mentioned the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, which he said would open up opportunities for agricultural production and economic activities.
Shettima maintained that the APC’s development initiatives reflected its commitment to national cohesion and economic growth, urging voters to support continuity in 2027.
The rally featured appeals for renewed support for Tinubu and the APC, as the president defended his administration against criticism over economic hardship and his deputy sought to build on the president’s political relationships with northern leaders.
ENDS
