₦airaland Forum

• To meet President this week, work out modalities

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are seeking President Bola Tinubu’s approval for a campaign strategy that would limit his appearances on the 2027 presidential campaign trail and place governors and other party leaders at the forefront of nationwide mobilisation.

Daily Sun learnt that the governors, who are expected to meet the President this week, plan to present a template under which they would lead rallies, grassroots mobilisation and other public-facing activities, while Tinubu makes selective appearances at politically strategic events.

The proposal reflects concerns over the President’s standing in parts of the North, South-South and South-East, as well as the risks associated with 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.

The proposal marks a significant departure from earlier arrangements under which the President was expected to appear at least once in each of the six geopolitical zones.

That plan appears to have been modified, with Saturday’s North-Central campaign gathering in Nasarawa State proceeding without the President.

Sources within the party told Daily Sun 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 already established by the President would, however, continue to operate alongside the National Working Committee of the APC.

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.

Daily Sun gathered that the proposal gained traction following concerns among some of the governors over what they consider the President’s political standing in parts of the country.

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 of the governors are said to have concluded that repeatedly putting the President before large campaign crowds may carry greater 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.

By taking direct charge of the campaign trail, the governors hope to present a more tightly managed public face for the ruling party while allowing the presidential campaign machinery and the APC National Working Committee to concentrate on strategy, organisation and logistics.

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

If endorsed, governors would assume the frontline role in mobilising support across the six geopolitical zones, while Tinubu would be deployed selectively at events considered politically strategic.

Sources said the President would almost certainly take centre stage at the grand finale of the campaign, where he is expected to make a major pitch for a second term.

The governors’ position, Daily Sun learnt, is that limiting the President’s appearances would not diminish his authority over the campaign or alter structures already approved by him.

Rather, they see it as a political risk-management strategy that would free Tinubu from the physical demands and potential pitfalls of criss-crossing the country for rallies while allowing governors to deploy their local structures and political networks in their respective zones.

Saturday’s event in Nasarawa State is being viewed within party circles as an early indication of how the arrangement could work, with governors and other senior party figures shouldering the public mobilisation without Tinubu’s direct involvement.

Attention will now turn to the planned meeting between the governors and the President and, particularly, whether Tinubu will accept a campaign formula that would sharply limit his appearances on the road.

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.

7upnigeria:
You're still a sore loser. That project is too big for Obi to conceive in his mind. It has opened up a lot of coastal areas around the Lagos-Ogun axis already.

And I also believe Akwa-ibom and cross river states will be well connected to the coast.

Some members of the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement have kicked against blockade of the venue where they were to hold a meeting.

Abba Hikima, a lawyer and one of the conveners of the movement, raised the alarm that policemen were preventing them from accessing the venue.

According to the movement, the TMG is a non-partisan platform for creating public enlightenment aimed at mobilising Nigerians to vote out President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

The group hinged its action on the administration’s economic policies which it said had inflicted hardship on citizens.

Speaking in a Live video posted on his verified Facebook page on Sunday, Hikima, wearing a shirt and fez cap bearing the inscription ‘Tinubu Must Go’, alleged that about 10 mobile police vehicles had been stationed at the venue of their planned meeting.

Some policemen were seen in the background of the video.

“Today, the 11th of October 2026, we gathered here in Kano State in order to exercise our fundamental human rights and to associate freely in order to exchange ideas and educate ourselves on the need to send away the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Nigeria.”

“It is clear to Nigerians that Tinubu has failed. It is clear to all Nigerians that Tinubu has failed and there is need for Nigerians to come out and chase him away. But today as usual and as part of the entrenched and systemic corruption, insecurity and recklessness and injustice of this country, you can see already that over 10 vehicles of mobile police have been stationed.

“They have been stationed here in order to prevent us from accessing the private venue which we paid for; we are to gather here to exercise our civic rights… This is even the more reason why Tinubu must go.” Hikima said.

He stated that he had a telephone conversation with the Commissioner of Police in Kano who told him that there was the need to inform the security agency about the meeting, but Hikima assured him that the gathering would be civil and operated within the legal boundaries.

“We are not criminals, we are not thugs, we are not hooligans and we have not committed any offence. And there is nothing wrong with what we are doing right now.

“It is within the bounds of the law. I want to say it clearly that yesterday the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, called me on the phone and told me that courtesy demands that I inform them of this meeting. I said, ‘Sir, our meeting is going to be in an enclosed environment within a perimeter and we are going to be civil, we are lawyers’.

“The provision of the law is clear that you no longer need police permission to have any gathering. The way you do it in your weddings is the way we have the right to gather here in this event centre and hold this programme. This is our understanding and the law has given us the right, under section 39 of the Constitution, to exchange ideas and opinions.

“And we have the right, under section 40, to associate and we have the personal liberty, under section 35, to do this. The police are oppressors. Tinubu must go. It is now clear that you don’t want us to gather and say and chant Tinubu must go. One of them even told me that they have no problem with us but we just shouldn’t wear this insignia; But I say We must wear this.

“It is our right to do this. It is not insulting. It is not oppressive. It is nothing. It is entirely political and the ban on political campaigning is bitter. Therefore, we are going to do this. We are coming back. Yes, next time we are going to do it. We are doing it.

“The Court of Appeal decision stands. I do not need to inform any security agent to hold my rallies. Next time, we are going to protest; Next time we are going to demonstrate; next time we are going to hit the ground.” he added, amid chants of ‘Tinubu Must Go’.

The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, did not answer calls or respond to text and WhatsApp messages sent to him to find out why the police barricaded the venue

"It is clear to all Nigerians that Tinubu has failed and there is need for Nigerians to come out and chase him away."

Abba Hikima says Nigerians should be free to gather, discuss politics and criticise government policies without restrictions from security agencies. pic.twitter.com/nboo09HAVr

— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) October 11, 2026

9jatriot:
You non de listen to global news? Are they also run by APC?

favor914:
Wetin concern u interloper .

Let the NDC give their own to local printers in Onitsha & Kano.

helinues:
Don't you have any respect for yourself. Who are you to be asking me nonsense question.

Dey your lane or I will renew your blocking

helinues:
Don't ask me dumbo question

creativejagaban:
Does that remind us of Obi's supporters

Tinubu till 2031.

helinues:
Stop crying. The table is only turning around

Sebi you can't control your rude supporters abi, they will teach them lesson.

Tareq1105:
No. However, supreme Court judgement says that INEC, as the umpire has the right to issue Time table, set rules as stated in the electoral guidelines which every political party must comply with.

Therefore, those who failed to comply are now being deleted one by one bcoz INEC must implement the judgement.

Ofunaofu, you haven't seen anything yet. Atikulooters like you wouldn't have rest of mind henceforth even after the results of the election is declared in January.

Wait till national and state Assembly candidate lists are released. When you guys were supposed to follow guidelines and upload within the time, you guys were looking for FBI report.

Lanretoye:
Randy peters and mama pee that were not up to 10 years old as at when obi was governor are now leading his presidential campaigh...jokers be following their leads like goat

shortgun:

With the way Tinubu is running the country currently, this should be taken to the jokes section

BATified2023:
u are consoling yourself with ommision right?

The electoral act judgement was used, go n check front page n see many candidates whose name didn't appear

It's not about omission but what d law says

Willy2025:
Are you comparing APC senatorial ticket with that of NDC? You are not serious at all

FSBoperator:
It's an NDC Anambra state chairman that is lamenting and declaring that Giringori will not win a ward talk more the state this coming elections

Deal with your NDC Anambra state chairman lamenting over Giringori relegating them instead of trying to deflect to APC .

Willy2025:
If it is not Peter Obi who was excluded, we Nairalanders are not interested. The only news worth celebrating is the total exclusion of NDC. They are just political irritants. Nasiru Gawuna is the biggest loser. This is a man offered an APC senatorial ticket on a platter of God. Even PO can never resist such an offer

seunmsg:
Lmaoooo. We warned all these NDC people not to look for trouble but they publicly demanded for the implementation of the Supreme Court judgement in respect of section 77 of the Electoral Act with the thinking that they've seen how to get back at Wike. Politically, Wike is way smarter than Peter Obi and Kwakwanso put together. Na that kain guyman una wan fight? Now, they have lost Kano even before the actual election. Scoreline: Wike 10 - 0 Obidients 🤣🤣🤣

TheStoriesOfMan:
Leave that guy. He's just talking to fill their data boys quota for the weekend.

Vision101:
Just one answer:
We are suffering today as a result of the decisions of lily-livered leaders.
30 trillion debt through ways and means used to subsidize consumption is now part of our national debt stock. We ate our today in yesterday

We produce 1.8 million barrels of crude today but we can't give Dangote 700,000 barrels because we have forward sales in the past used to subsidize fuel. We barely have half of the production available for use today.

How many FID did we attract in the oil sector in the past 12 years? Gas production decision that ought have been realized since 1973 was abandoned but have now received final FID.

Sokoto-Badagri supper highway conceived by Shagari regime in the 80s is now becoming a reality in 2026.

Can you see the power to dare? I have the same traits.