By George Ozalla
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accused opposition politicians of creating the hunger and poverty they are now criticising his administration over, insisting that his government is working to address the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
Tinubu made the remarks on Saturday, October 24, 2026, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off rally at Ranchers Bees Stadium, also known as Kaduna Township Stadium, where he sought another four-year mandate ahead of the 2027 general election.
“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.
The statement came as the President defended his administration’s performance amid public concerns over the cost of food, transportation, fuel and other essential goods, with economic hardship expected to feature prominently in the campaigns ahead of the 2027 election.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to look beyond the opposition’s criticism and support his administration for a second term, promising prosperity, continuity, progress and development.
He also defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, which has contributed to the rise in fuel prices and increased living costs for households and businesses. The President maintained that the country would not return to the former subsidy arrangement, which he linked to corruption, fraudulent invoices and fuel smuggling.
“Be careful; watch them. Don’t let them lie to you. What is past is in the past. Fuel subsidy is in our past: no more corruption, no more falsification of invoices, no more lies, no more smuggling of fuel,” he told supporters.
The President further praised APC governors for their performance, saying his administration paid salaries regularly and that governors were working to develop their respective states.
Tinubu thanked Kaduna residents for supporting him in the 2023 presidential election and appealed to them to renew their support in 2027. He promised a second term focused on economic recovery, growth and opportunities for Nigerians.
The Kaduna rally formally launched the APC’s presidential campaign for the 2027 general election, with Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, campaign Director-General Abdulaziz Yari, Minister of Works Dave Umahi, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and APC governors and other party leaders in attendance.
Shettima used his remarks to highlight Tinubu’s political relationships with northern leaders, citing his past support for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Nuhu Ribadu and former President Muhammadu Buhari at different stages of previous presidential contests.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, in his welcome address, commended the Federal Government’s support for state development programmes and called on APC supporters to remain alert to misinformation during the electioneering period.
The campaign flag-off also featured the inauguration of an 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway, part of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway project.
