Obafemi George, a member of the Media and Strategic Communications Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s reported decision to campaign in only 12 states ahead of the 2027 general elections.
George argued that Tinubu had effectively been campaigning for the past three years through his policies and efforts to improve Nigerians’ lives, insisting that the president did not need to visit every state to promote his administration’s achievements.
Speaking on Arise News, the APC chieftain described the traditional campaign period shortly before an election as largely ceremonial, arguing that Tinubu’s record in office should speak for itself.
“What we see three months before the election is a jamboree. He has been campaigning with his policies for the past three years. He has turned Nigeria into a construction site, with projects going on in every state,” George said.
He urged Nigerians to reflect on the country’s situation in 2023, claiming that the nation lacked the foundation required for meaningful development before Tinubu assumed office.
George further argued that the president had established structures capable of supporting Nigeria’s development for decades. He also claimed that investors were leaving the country before Tinubu became president.
The APC spokesman maintained that no law or official document requires presidential candidates to visit all 36 states during their campaigns. He also argued that candidates were not legally required to participate in debates.
According to him, campaign schedules are determined by individual candidates’ strategies, adding that Tinubu had assessed the electoral landscape and prioritised sustaining what the administration considers its recent gains.
“All these are subject to the strategy of the candidates, and the president has looked at the electoral map and has decided that what is more important at this time is to sustain the gains Nigeria has seen from January until now,” he added.
Tinubu had announced during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on Thursday that he would skip some campaign trips ahead of the 2027 election.
The president is reportedly planning to visit 12 states, leaving governors and members of the campaign council to coordinate activities in the remaining states.
The decision has drawn criticism from some opposition figures, who have questioned the president’s willingness and ability to campaign extensively across the country. Others have argued that the limited schedule could reflect concerns about public anger over economic hardship and the rising cost of living.
