By Terdue Atondu, Makurdi
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and six governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-Central region have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for re-election in the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was announced at the North-Central Grand Rally and Endorsement for Tinubu and Shettima, held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Akume, who is the Grand Patron of the North-Central Grassroots Mobilisation Network for Tinubu/Shettima 2027, proposed Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate of the region,
a motion that received the backing of the governors and other political stakeholders at the gathering.
“By the authority of this great congregation, I, Senator George Akume, hereby propose that the people of the North-Central States meeting here have resolved that, come 2027, our sole candidate is His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. There is no other candidate,” Akume declared.
The SGF called for continuity in leadership, arguing that Tinubu should be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure in line with the power-rotation understanding reached by political leaders in Kaduna in 1999.
He said the arrangement was designed to promote political balance, mutual understanding and stability between the country’s major regions.
Addressing the crowd, Akume described Tinubu as a leader whose administration combines ambitious development plans with decisive action.
He cited the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the proposed Badagry-Sokoto Highway as major infrastructure projects capable of improving connectivity, creating economic opportunities and stimulating development across the country.
The SGF also highlighted the administration’s approach to fiscal federalism, noting that increased allocations to state and local governments had strengthened their capacity to address development challenges.
According to him, the administration’s fiscal policies, financial sector reforms and infrastructure investments reflect its commitment to long-term economic transformation.
On the removal of the petrol subsidy, Akume acknowledged that the policy had remained a contentious issue among political leaders and presidential candidates.
He, however, described its implementation as a demonstration of political courage and cautioned against campaign promises to reverse the policy without adequately considering the economic consequences.
Akume further cited the establishment of additional universities and the introduction of student loan arrangements as measures aimed at expanding access to tertiary education, particularly for young Nigerians from disadvantaged backgrounds.
North-Central governors pledge support
In his welcome address, Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North-Central Governors Forum, Abdullahi Sule, formally seconded Akume’s motion and declared the commitment of APC governors in the region to Tinubu’s re-election.
Sule said the governors of Benue, Plateau, Niger, Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states, alongside the Federal Capital Territory, were united in their support for the President’s second-term ambition.
He attributed the endorsement to what he described as improvements in oil production, foreign reserves, capitalisation, education financing and infrastructure development under the Tinubu administration.
“I, Engr. A.A. Sule, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State and the Chairman of North Central Governors Forum, hereby second the motion that all the APC Governors of the North Central States and the FCT support a man who has improved our oil production from less than one million to over 1.8 million barrels per day, who has improved our foreign reserve from less than $20 billion to more than $50 billion,” Sule said.
He also referenced the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and ongoing infrastructure projects as examples of the administration’s policies and programmes.
The APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, assured First Lady Oluremi Tinubu of the region’s support for the President’s re-election bid.
Yilwatda said the Tinubu administration had undertaken initiatives that, in his view, demonstrated its commitment to the North-Central region.
He urged party members and supporters to sustain their commitment to the APC from the national level down to the grassroots.
First Lady conveys Tinubu’s message
In her remarks, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, conveyed the President’s goodwill message to the people of the North-Central region.
She highlighted the administration’s stated commitment to national security, unity and economic prosperity, referencing Tinubu’s October 1 Independence Day address titled “From Reforms to Prosperity.”
According to her, the administration’s reform agenda is intended to lay the foundation for improved economic conditions and broader prosperity for Nigerians.
Also speaking, Imo State Governor and Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council for Tinubu and Shettima’s re-election, Senator Hope Uzodimma, reaffirmed the APC and Progressive Governors Forum’s commitment to mobilising support for the President ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Uzodimma said the gathering was intended to demonstrate solidarity with the North-Central region and strengthen cooperation among party leaders, governors and grassroots supporters.
At the rally, the six APC governors from the region reiterated their commitment to Tinubu and Shettima’s re-election and pledged to work towards the emergence of APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
Akutah calls for support for Tinubu
Speaking with FirmNews at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Barrister Pius Akutah, described the turnout at the rally as impressive.
He said the gathering reflected the level of support for Tinubu’s administration across the North-Central region and its commitment to the President’s development agenda.
Akutah expressed confidence in the President’s re-election prospects, attributing his optimism to what he described as Tinubu’s pragmatic and people-centred leadership approach.
He also commended the President for the confidence reposed in Akume, whom he described as a key political leader in the North-Central region, and for his role in coordinating the regional mobilisation effort ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The NPERA chief executive further acknowledged the support of Nigerians, particularly the people of Benue State, for the Tinubu administration.
He urged them to sustain their engagement and participation in the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections, while calling on supporters of the President to remain committed to the campaign.
