Governors serving under the All Progressives Congress (APC) are reportedly pushing for a strategy that would cut down President Bola Tinubu’s public engagements during the 2027 election campaign.
According to Daily Sun, the governors are expected to meet with Tinubu this week to discuss a proposed campaign plan that would assign most nationwide mobilisation activities to state governors and other prominent party members.
The suggested arrangement would see party chieftains take charge of rallies, community outreach and other campaign events, while Tinubu would attend only a handful of gatherings regarded as politically significant.
The proposal reportedly stems from growing apprehension over the President’s acceptance in some parts of the country, particularly the North, South-South and South-East, as well as concerns about the possible implications of repeated appearances before large gatherings.
Party insiders said the governors believe limiting Tinubu’s campaign engagements could reduce the physical strain associated with extensive electioneering and prevent incidents that might generate unnecessary public controversy. They also intend to utilise their respective political networks to expand the party’s reach across the country.
Sources within the APC disclosed that the governors intend to present the proposed arrangement to Tinubu during their scheduled meeting and request his consent to a campaign structure that would reduce his involvement in everyday campaign activities.
Under the suggested framework, governors would assume greater responsibility for coordinating political outreach, with Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, reportedly expected to oversee the exercise.
However, the campaign machinery already put in place by the President would continue to function alongside the APC’s National Working Committee.
Individuals familiar with the discussions stressed that the proposal does not seek to remove Tinubu completely from the campaign. Rather, his participation would be restricted to selected occasions where his presence is considered essential.
A senior source acquainted with the negotiations reportedly explained that the President could participate in a limited number of major events, particularly the campaign’s final rally, where he would deliver a significant speech before party supporters.
The governors are reportedly concerned about what they perceive as diminishing support for Tinubu in some northern states, the South-South and the South-East. Nevertheless, they believe his political influence remains comparatively stronger across the South-West.
These considerations have reportedly prompted some APC governors to question whether frequent appearances by the President at campaign gatherings would necessarily benefit the party.
They are also said to be concerned about episodes during the 2023 presidential election campaign when Tinubu’s verbal missteps and other public incidents attracted criticism from opposition politicians and widespread reactions on social media.
According to party sources, the governors fear that similar occurrences during the 2027 campaign could give rival parties additional grounds to attack the President and shift attention away from the APC’s campaign promises.
Consequently, they are proposing a carefully managed campaign schedule in which governors, ministers and other senior party figures would handle most rallies, political meetings and grassroots mobilisation.
The proposed meeting with Tinubu is expected to establish how campaign duties would be distributed and whether the President would endorse the arrangement.
The governors reportedly believe that limiting Tinubu’s appearances to strategically important occasions would help preserve the political value of his participation while reducing the potential challenges associated with an extensive campaign tour.
However, the proposal remains a reported initiative attributed to party sources, and the final decision would depend on the outcome of consultations with the President.
