Tinubu and Atiku Clash Over 2027 Election Strategies

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have adopted contrasting strategies for the 2027 general election. Tinubu announced he will limit his personal participation in All Progressives Congress (APC) rallies to 12 states, citing the need to focus on governance and managing financial obligations to creditors. His limited tour began in Kaduna on October 24 and will conclude in Lagos on January 9, 2027.

In contrast, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) announced that Atiku Abubakar will campaign in all 36 states, utilizing town hall meetings and community engagements to address nationwide economic hardship. This aggressive approach coincides with ADC efforts in Jigawa State, where candidate Shehu Sule Udi dismissed an APC pledge to secure two million votes as unattainable propaganda, citing voter registration data.

In Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani asserted that the APC would view it as a failure if any opposition candidate secured more than 25 percent of the vote, pointing to federal infrastructure projects as evidence of support. However, the ADC alleged that the APC paid supporters between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 to attend recent rallies. Meanwhile, APC Publicity Secretary Muhammad Sani Haruna called on Atiku Abubakar to abandon his ambitions and join forces with Tinubu, claiming the North has already accepted the president.