₦airaland Forum

Senator Kawu Sumaila has thrown a note of caution to the newly constituted All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, warning its members that the road to the 2027 election could be threatened if the party fails to confront the economic pains ravaging millions of Nigerians.

Kawu, representing Kano South, urged the Senator Abdul’Aziz Yari-led campaign council to acknowledge the hardship confronting families and make the promise of tangible relief a central plank of the campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.

His warning came barely 24 hours after the inauguration of the over 200-member campaign structure mandated to drive the APC’s 2027 presidential campaign.

In a personally signed goodwill message to Yari and members of the council, Kawu described the assignment as critical, insisting that victory would require more than political mobilisation.

According to him, the campaign must first reconnect with Nigerians by listening to their grievances and demonstrating genuine understanding of the economic and social pressures confronting households.

“We must approach our citizens with deep empathy, active listening, and genuine sensitivity to the economic hardships and socio-economic challenges currently affecting everyday families,” he said.

Kawu warned that any attempt by the campaign to ignore the suffering of Nigerians could widen the gulf between the government and electorate and ultimately damage the electoral prospects of both the President and the APC.

“Our campaign must demonstrate that we truly feel their pain, understand their daily struggles, and are sincerely committed to delivering meaningful reliefs,” he added.

The senator also charged the Yari-led council to return the campaign to the grassroots, insisting that party members, stakeholders and ordinary constituents must not be treated as spectators in the 2027 contest.

He urged the council to build its campaign around the achievements and policy direction of the Tinubu administration, while clearly explaining how existing reforms are expected to translate into improved living conditions.

“A disconnect between leadership and the electorate creates misperceptions and misunderstandings that ultimately undermine both the President and the party,” Kawu warned.

He further demanded strict compliance with the Electoral Act and the Constitution, arguing that the campaign must protect its credibility by avoiding actions capable of undermining public confidence.

“Our campaign activities must strictly adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Constitution, ensuring our efforts are rooted in legitimacy and public trust,” he said.

Kawu also tasked the campaign council with deploying its political experience to communicate the President’s programmes and strategic vision more effectively to the electorate.

“We must leverage our collective expertise to clearly convey the President’s key policies, programs, and strategic vision so the public fully recognises his commitment to national progress,” he said.

He, however, identified internal unity as another critical battlefield, urging APC leaders and stakeholders to bury their differences and close ranks ahead of the 2027 contest.

“Victory depends on complete solidarity. We must heal internal rifts, set aside differences, and ensure that all key stakeholders, party leaders, and members at every level are fully carried along as equal partners in this mission,” he said.

Kawu congratulated Yari and other members of the campaign council, offering prayers and best wishes for what he described as a critical assignment for the ruling APC.

Kdon2:
All of you supporting return of fuel subsidy are all liars. Fuel subsidy will worsen Nigeria situation. Infact it shows how reckless and desperate you are to fleece Nigeria.

Parachoko:
The money was sent into a private account like it was done before the Arrival of Asiwaju Administration

Parachoko:
Yes, she followed due process

That's how it was done at the Ministry before she became the Minister

Parachoko:
She followed procedure when she gave the go ahead for millions of naira to be sent into a private bank account for an onward disbursement to the people who needs it

aswani:
You are the one that is making yourself look a bit not-very-sensible.

So you can't produce the actual details of rhe court order as part of a Google search?

You send me an image of Vanguard link, humour me a bit more, what date was that news?

Initially, both Vanguard and Punch were fooled into thinking this new was for real. Check on the Internet, you are seemingly good at doing Google searches, to see when last they bothered with the nonsense phantom court case.

aswani:
There is no order of any court, we have been begging to see proof of it, none of the (Obidient) posters that claim it show us.

All they do is abuse and insult when we ask them to do so.

There was an FOIA, which the CIA and FBI responded too, it ended there.

Kindledlight:
Exactly, I might not like the way he is going about the subsidy brouhaha but one thing that I so much like about him is he isn’t a vindictive politician unlike Obadanjo and even Atiku.

gr8ofnnetwork:
Leave him for us. Do your own campaign.

favor914:
Don’t Gringory Obi, & legion of delusional Obidients.

yarimo:
and yet Nigerians were jubilating and celebrating, immediately the announcement of TINUBU campaign committee members

aswani:
Wherever you copied this from, this part is a blatant untruth.

They gave a standard response that they do for requests like this. No one has mentioned a judicial review about some of the records.

Stop giving this phantom case arms and legs, soon another person will read this and run with it.

chopnaira:
It's called letting your opponent burn their time and money for a futile effort.

WizardOfNG:
Lol. Continue with the questions. You guys should let go of this desperation led by the fact you support a cowardly candidate and nomad, who flees always, and cannot become President because he has built nothing and no one to the extent you and him are now relying on the USA to help you disqualify PBAT.

Won't happen. My advice to all of you is that you should start playing politics the right way building bridges, alliances and capacity. "Food is ready" politics rarely wins in Nigeria at Presidential level.

Kdon2:
Let atiku go and answer his bribery scandal in the US first before pointing accusing fingers. Same for Peter Obi. If criminal accusation is the to be used as yard stick then atiku, obi and sowore all have one criminal case or the other. To the best of the facts, Tinubu has no conviction that can disqualify him from the presidential contest just as the others. 🤸‍♂️

AMINDA:
They are getting jittery. I always reserve money in my account incase Atiku insists we must pay before voting him come January 2027.

FSBoperator:
Go and ask your governor what he is doing with their share of the money saved from removal of subsidy.

So FG should be giving your moriboumd and corrupt states money monthly and still come and be subsidizing fuel for you.

AMINDA:
Atiku is set to consolidate on his 6.9m votes that he got in 2023 because a huge chunk of Tinubu's 5.6m Northern voters will now vote Atiku having seen the treachery and betrayal by Tinubu of his key allies like Elrufai, Kashim Imam, Badaru, Tanko Almakura, Ganduje (yes), etc that made him president. Even the current DG Tinubu's campaign council, Yari, was double crossed by Tinubu in favour of Akpabio (who lost Akwa Ibom to Atiku) when they both contested for Senate president. Today, he has brought Yari close because he needs his help while Akpabio appear to have fallen out of favour and didn't make the campaign list. This doesn't mean that he won't dump Yari again after winning. He just can't help it.

Atiku is also the most Liberal candidate in the race. This liberality is the reason why he had failed to get the full support of the mostly Conservative North for a long time but this will change in 2027. Atiku clearly loves the Southeast as most of his long-term allies have been Southeasterners; Ben Obi, Ihedioha, Osita Chidoka, Abaribe, etc. He also went against all odds to pick Obi as Vice in 2019 and stuck with him despite the sabotage by Ekweramdu and other Southeastern governors at the time who wanted him to pick them instead. Atiku is not a tribalist, and neither is he a religious bigot.

Atiku is also a certified spotter of talents. As Chairman of the Economic Council under Obasanjo, he assembled a team of technocrats comprising Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, etc. Those were the golden years of technocracy in governance, and their records are yet to be surpassed. Atiku will do the same and even more as president.

Atiku still has an extended hand out to the Southeast. Back a strong candidate that has the higher chances of winning and bring the Southeast back into the national conversation. Atiku has always maintained that he is the bridge to a Southeastern presidency and he means it. The likes of Umahi and other Southeastern politicians who currently support Tinubu are only doing so because they want to become Vice presidential candidates in 2031. Why not make the time shorter and sit at the negotiating table by supporting Atiku in 2027. Northerners always pay their debts but no betrayal goes unpunished no matter how long it tarries.

Thiefobi1:
Any one supporting return of fuel subsidy should be given life prison sentence.


Atiku does not mean well for the country.


A desperate man with nothing to lose.