President Bola Tinubu has accepted his nomination as the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress for the 2027 election, declaring that Nigeria was on an “irreversible path of economic expansion”.
Speaking on Sunday at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the task before the party was to consolidate reforms and secure long-term national progress.
“In 2022, our task was to chart a new direction for our party and nation,” Tinubu said. “Today, our task is to affirm that continuity is essential — to consolidate reform, secure progress, and strengthen the foundation of a modern Nigeria.”
Tinubu used the occasion to mount a robust defence of his administration’s economic policies, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market — decisions that triggered widespread hardship but which he insisted were necessary and are now yielding results.
“The naira is strengthening, foreign reserves are rising, and our economic outlook is positive,” he said, acknowledging that inflation had been worsened by what he described as geopolitical disruptions stemming from the war in Iran and crisis in the Middle East.
On education, the President cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which he said has disbursed over N282 billion to more than 1.5 million beneficiaries. On power, he claimed his administration had closed the metering gap through the supply of 2.5 million meters and that generation had at times peaked at 6,000 megawatts — 50 per cent higher than the figure inherited in 2023.
In a notable departure from the celebratory tone of much of his address, Tinubu directly acknowledged ongoing security challenges across parts of the country, pledging that his government would not rest until peace was restored to every region.
“I take seriously the responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of every Nigerian,” he said, adding that his administration had invested in intelligence, surveillance, and modern military equipment.
He also called on the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to permit the creation of state police, describing it as “a matter of national emergency.”
Tinubu extended an olive branch to political opponents, calling for national dialogue while warning voters against what he characterised as politicians offering no credible alternative.
“Let’s not give in to complacency by allowing politicians with no clear alternative vision to take our country backwards,” he said.
He framed the 2027 election not merely as a political contest but as “a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s democratic maturity.”
With the APC nomination secured, attention now turns to the opposition and whether a united front can be assembled ahead of what is expected to be a fiercely contested January 2027 election.
Tinubu’s address signalled that his campaign will run primarily on his economic reform record — a high-stakes bet given that millions of Nigerians continue to feel the weight of rising costs and adjustment pains.
“We do not dismiss these concerns,” the President said. “We understand them and govern not in comfort, but in reality — with honesty and action.”
