Tinubu Should Withdraw From 2027 Race If He Cannot Campaign – Makinde

The presidential campaign organisation of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has challenged President Bola Tinubu to defend his administration’s record before Nigerians, saying he should withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if he is unwilling to campaign across the country.

The campaign organisation’s Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Ihediwa, made the call in a statement on Thursday following Tinubu’s indication that he might not attend every campaign rally organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.

Tinubu, speaking during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council on Wednesday, said he intended to prioritise governance and Nigeria’s financial obligations rather than accompany the campaign team to every state. He nevertheless said he would make time to address Nigerians directly. <Cite refs={[“turn187894search1″,”turn187894search3”]}/>

Reacting, Makinde’s campaign organisation argued that a president seeking re-election should be prepared to engage voters and account for his administration’s performance.

The group accused Tinubu of failing to fulfil his 2023 campaign promises and alleged that his decision to skip some rallies reflected concerns about public dissatisfaction with his government. It also questioned whether the APC was prepared to conduct a free, fair and credible election, although it did not provide evidence in the statement to substantiate that allegation.

“A President who believes he has performed well should be confident to defend his record before the people,” the statement said.

The organisation criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the economy, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy and the adoption of a more flexible foreign exchange regime. It argued that the policies had increased the financial pressure on households without delivering sufficient improvements in living standards.

The group also accused the administration of failing to improve electricity supply and tackle insecurity, citing concerns over rising living costs, poverty, terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

It maintained that Tinubu should not seek another term without directly accounting to Nigerians for the country’s economic and security challenges.

“If President Tinubu is so fatigued that he cannot go round the country to canvass for votes, then he should withdraw from the race,” the statement added.

The campaign organisation promoted Makinde’s Reset Nigeria Agenda as an alternative, arguing that the governor’s approach to governance placed greater emphasis on citizens’ welfare and accountability.

In a separate newsletter released on Thursday, Makinde criticised the Federal Government’s economic reforms, saying leadership should be assessed not only by macroeconomic indicators but also by the effect of government policies on ordinary Nigerians.

Although he acknowledged that the removal of petrol subsidy and changes to foreign exchange policy were supported by economic arguments, he said the timing of reforms and the protection available to vulnerable citizens were equally important.

“Policies tell you what a government wants to change. The order in which it chooses to make those changes tells you how that government thinks,” Makinde said.

The governor compared the Federal Government’s economic approach with his administration’s handling of public finances in Oyo State, where he said the government prioritised workers’ salaries, pensions and inherited gratuity arrears while continuing infrastructure development.

Makinde said personnel costs accounted for about 70 per cent of the state’s federal receipts during a four-year period. He added that his administration adopted an alternative project funding arrangement under which contractors financed selected projects upfront, with the state repaying the costs over an agreed period.

According to him, the approach allowed the government to meet its obligations to workers and pensioners while pursuing infrastructure projects.

“We could have said government needed the money for infrastructure and asked workers and pensioners to wait,” he said, adding that his administration chose to pursue both objectives.

Makinde also challenged the Federal Government’s claims of progress on economic stability, arguing that improvements in headline indicators had not translated quickly enough into better living conditions for many households.

He claimed that Nigeria’s poverty rate had risen from approximately 56 per cent in 2023 to about 62 per cent in 2026, which he said represented around 23 million additional people living in poverty. Those figures were presented by the governor in support of his argument and were not independently established in the supplied material.

“These 23 million are not just numbers. They are our parents, neighbours, friends and children,” he said, arguing that economic reforms should be judged by their effects on employment, household purchasing power and access to opportunities.

Makinde maintained that Nigerians had the right to assess an administration after one term and decide whether it deserved another mandate.

The exchange comes as political parties and presidential candidates prepare for the 2027 general election, with Tinubu’s decision to miss some campaign rallies becoming a point of criticism for opposition figures.

While the president has cited the demands of governance as a reason for limiting his attendance, Makinde’s campaign organisation insists that direct engagement with voters and accountability for the administration’s record should remain central to the re-election campaign.