By Simpson Global Media News Desk
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has cautioned supporters of President Bola Tinubu against taking northern Nigeria’s backing for the president’s 2027 re-election bid for granted, saying the administration must earn voters’ confidence through transparency, accountability and measurable results.
Shettima spoke on Saturday, October 17, in Abuja at the unveiling of the Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A) campaign headquarters and the inauguration of the group’s northern campaign structure ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Although he expressed confidence that support for Tinubu was growing across the North, the vice-president acknowledged that Nigerians had endured difficult economic adjustments and said the government must explain its decisions honestly, recognise continuing hardships and demonstrate how its policies were improving people’s lives. TheCable Voice of Nigeria
Shettima says political support comes with responsibility
Addressing political leaders and campaign supporters, Shettima said the administration should not interpret expressions of political loyalty as permission to take voters for granted.
He argued that public support creates an obligation for officeholders to account for their decisions and explain what another four years in government would mean for Nigerians.
“The mandate belongs to the people. We must account for its use and explain how another term would advance their interests,” he said, according to TheCable’s report of the event.
The vice-president also warned campaigners against relying solely on political slogans when discussing the administration’s record. He said public confidence must be sustained by evidence and by an honest assessment of both achievements and continuing difficulties. TheCable
The remarks are significant because they acknowledge a central challenge facing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as it prepares for the 2027 election: translating political alliances and campaign endorsements into public confidence in the government’s performance.
Support from political leaders and organised groups can help a campaign mobilise voters. It does not, by itself, establish how ordinary citizens will vote when they assess economic conditions, security, public services and the government’s record.
Economic hardship cannot be dismissed, vice-president says
Shettima directly acknowledged that Nigerians had experienced difficult economic adjustments under the Tinubu administration.
He said traders facing higher operating costs, graduates searching for employment and families struggling with everyday expenses should inform government decisions rather than be dismissed by campaign rhetoric.
The vice-president’s comments indicate that the administration recognises the importance of addressing the lived effects of its policies as the next presidential election approaches.
Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has pursued major economic changes, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and reforms to the foreign-exchange system. The government has defended these measures as necessary to improve public finances, reduce distortions and establish a more sustainable economic framework.
However, reforms of this scale can also impose immediate costs on households and businesses. Higher transport expenses can affect food distribution and commuting, while rising production and operating costs can put pressure on small businesses. The extent of these effects varies across households, sectors and locations.
Shettima’s remarks did not amount to a reversal of the administration’s policies. Rather, he called for a more candid explanation of the decisions taken, the benefits achieved and the difficulties that remain.
That distinction will matter during the election campaign. Voters are likely to consider not only the government’s explanation for its reforms but also whether incomes, jobs, food affordability and access to essential services have improved in ways they can experience directly. TheCable The Guardian
Arewa for Asiwaju launches northern mobilisation structure
The event provided a platform for the Arewa for Asiwaju movement to formalise its campaign organisation in support of Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The group unveiled its campaign headquarters in Abuja and inaugurated a structure intended to mobilise political support across northern Nigeria.
Several political figures attended, including APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and former Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru, who was identified as the movement’s director-general. TheCable
Yilwatda urged northern Nigerians to support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket for another term, citing what he described as the administration’s achievements and Shettima’s role in bringing people from different backgrounds together.
Barau also backed the campaign structure, saying it would help communicate the government’s record and mobilise support across the region.
Akume called for voters to assess the administration based on evidence and its record rather than sentiment. Badaru pledged to take the campaign for continuity and completion of government projects into communities across northern Nigeria. TheCable
These endorsements demonstrate that influential figures within the ruling party and allied political networks are actively organising ahead of the election. They should not, however, be interpreted as proof that every northern state, community or voter has adopted the same position.
Northern Nigeria is politically diverse, encompassing different parties, communities, economic interests and local priorities. The region’s eventual voting pattern will depend on developments throughout the campaign and the choices voters make at the ballot box.
APC leaders predict stronger northern backing
Shettima has also expressed confidence that the North could give Tinubu more votes in 2027 than it contributed to his 2023 election victory.
In a separate report, Punch quoted the vice-president as saying the region could exceed the 60.2 per cent contribution attributed to northern votes in the president’s 2023 victory. The statement was made during the same campaign mobilisation event. Punch
The projection is a political expectation, not a verified forecast of the next election’s outcome. The result will depend on voter turnout, candidates, campaign issues, party organisation and the conduct of the electoral process.
For the APC, northern mobilisation is an important part of its re-election strategy. The region contains a large share of Nigeria’s electorate and includes states with distinct political histories and voting patterns.
Yet organised campaign activity and declarations of support cannot substitute for votes. Political leaders will need to persuade voters that the administration’s performance justifies another term, while opposition parties will seek to present alternative policies and challenge the government’s claims.
Security and livelihoods remain central campaign issues
Shettima identified security, economic opportunities, poverty reduction, education and stronger public institutions among the administration’s priorities.
These issues are particularly important in northern communities where insecurity has disrupted farming, trade, travel and education in some areas.
For farmers, insecurity can prevent access to fields or raise the cost of cultivation. For traders, attacks on transport routes and uncertainty over movement can disrupt the supply of food and other goods. Families affected by displacement or violence may face additional challenges in accessing schools, healthcare and stable livelihoods.
The vice-president said farmers should be able to cultivate safely and that education should prepare children for productive lives. He also argued that public institutions should give citizens confidence that hard work can lead to opportunity. TheCable
The comments set out the government’s stated priorities, but they do not establish that these problems have been resolved. Assessing progress will require evidence on security incidents, access to farms, school attendance, job creation, household purchasing power and the availability of public services.
Those measures are likely to remain important to voters evaluating the administration’s record.
Vice-president calls for criticism and public feedback
Shettima also defended the role of criticism in a democracy, saying the administration should remain open to ideas and concerns regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion or region.
He urged the A4A campaign structure to act as a channel through which complaints from communities could reach officials capable of addressing them.
The appeal suggests that the campaign organisation is being presented not only as a vehicle for political mobilisation but also as a possible link between supporters and government institutions.
Whether such a structure can provide meaningful feedback will depend on how it operates. Campaign groups can help gather local concerns, but the government must still have systems to investigate complaints, communicate decisions and deliver public services.
Criticism also needs to be met with substantive responses. Political disagreement is a normal part of democratic competition, and the presence of critics does not necessarily mean that a government’s entire programme has failed. Equally, campaign support does not eliminate the need for independent scrutiny of policy outcomes.
The vice-president’s emphasis on accountability therefore raises a practical question for the months ahead: how will the administration show that citizens’ concerns are influencing decisions and that its policies are producing tangible improvements?
The opposition presents a different message
While the ruling party is building its campaign organisation, opposition parties are pursuing their own strategies ahead of 2027.
On October 18, Punch reported that Social Democratic Party presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo argued that opposition forces should unite around fighting poverty and insecurity rather than concentrating exclusively on defeating Tinubu. Punch politics coverage
That message offers a contrast in emphasis. The APC and its allies are promoting continuity and defending the administration’s record, while opposition figures are attempting to persuade voters that alternative priorities or leadership could better address their concerns.
Opposition groups have also been consulting presidential candidates and discussing the possibility of a common candidate. Those discussions have not yet produced a publicly confirmed final consensus candidate, leaving questions about coordination and the distribution of political support unresolved.
For the electorate, the emerging contest is likely to involve both personalities and policy. Campaigns will need to explain how they intend to address the economy, insecurity, unemployment, education and public services, rather than relying solely on endorsements or criticism of opponents.
What Shettima’s warning means for the 2027 contest
The vice-president’s statement that northern support is not a “blank cheque” carries a message for both the government and its campaign network.
For the administration, it is a reminder that political goodwill must be reinforced by results and communication. For campaign supporters, it is a warning against assuming that declarations from prominent leaders necessarily reflect the choices of all voters in their constituencies.
For the opposition, the comments provide an opening to challenge the government on its record and argue that public dissatisfaction should translate into electoral change. Whether opposition parties can turn that opportunity into a competitive national campaign will depend partly on their ability to cooperate, communicate credible proposals and build support beyond established political strongholds.
The election will also test whether the APC can convert its organisational activity into votes across the country. The launch of campaign structures is an early step in that process, not proof of the final outcome.
Nigeria’s voters will ultimately decide whether the government’s record warrants another term. The credibility of that decision will depend on a peaceful, competitive and credible electoral process.
Conclusion
Shettima’s intervention places accountability at the centre of the Tinubu campaign’s message to northern Nigeria. While the vice-president expressed confidence in the president’s support, he also acknowledged the economic difficulties facing citizens and urged political leaders to explain the government’s record with evidence.
The launch of Arewa for Asiwaju’s campaign headquarters demonstrates an effort to strengthen mobilisation ahead of 2027. But the movement’s declarations of support remain political endorsements, not a substitute for the judgment of voters.
As the election approaches, the central test for the administration will be whether it can demonstrate measurable progress on security, livelihoods, education and economic opportunity. For the opposition, the challenge will be to offer a convincing alternative and persuade voters that its proposals can deliver better outcomes.
The contest for northern support is under way. Its eventual result will depend not only on campaign structures and political alliances, but on the decisions Nigerians make when they vote.
By Simpson Global Media News Desk
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