By Our Reporter
President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated an 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway, accusing opposition leaders of creating the poverty and hunger they now blame on his administration.
Tinubu made the remarks on Saturday at the flag-off of his presidential campaign for the 2027 general elections at the Ranchers Bees Stadium, Kaduna, where he urged residents to support his bid for a second term.
“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created the hunger; they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” the President said.
At the rally, Tinubu thanked the people of Kaduna State for supporting him in the 2023 presidential election, urging them to renew his mandate based on what he described as his administration’s achievements and investments in critical infrastructure across Kaduna State and the northern region.
The highway section was symbolically inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, who participated in the virtual commissioning of Lot 1 of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, highlighted ongoing federal infrastructure projects in the North-West and other parts of the country.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, in his remarks, called on Nigerians to support the administration for continuity, citing Tinubu’s commitment to national unity, democratic stability and economic development.
Shettima recalled Tinubu’s past support for northern presidential candidates, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as Atiku Abubakar and Nuhu Ribadu in previous presidential contests. He described the relationships as evidence of political loyalty and mutual respect.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, commended Tinubu for supporting state governments in implementing development programmes, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture and citizens’ welfare. He also acknowledged the contributions of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to the welfare of women, children and families.
Uba Sani urged APC supporters to guard against misinformation during the electioneering period, particularly misleading social media content and materials allegedly generated using artificial intelligence.
Similarly, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, expressed confidence in the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 elections. He defended the administration’s economic reforms, including developments in the foreign exchange market, and urged Nigerians to assess the government based on its policies and performance.
The rally was attended by APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; Shettima; the First Lady and wife of the Vice-President; 32 APC governors; former party national chairman Abdullahi Adamu; former APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje; and other party leaders.
The event formed part of the APC’s campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with party leaders calling on supporters to sustain their backing for Tinubu and the administration’s development agenda.
