2027: Tinubu to Skip Sokoto, Bauchi, Yola, Kano, Imo, Others as APC Releases Rally Schedule

By Eshioromeh Sebastian

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not campaign in every state of the federation ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Sokoto, Bauchi, Yola (Adamawa), Kano, and Imo notably absent from the list of states where the President is scheduled to make personal appearances.

The development follows the release of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council’s rally timetable, which indicates that President Tinubu will personally attend campaign rallies in only a limited number of states across the six geopolitical zones, delegating the bulk of grassroots mobilisation to governors, ministers, and party leaders.

Nigeria comprises 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, grouped into six geopolitical zones. The North-West Zone has seven states: Jigawa (Dutse), Kaduna (Kaduna), Kano (Kano), Katsina (Katsina), Kebbi (Birnin Kebbi), Sokoto (Sokoto), and Zamfara (Gusau). The North-East Zone has six states: Adamawa (Yola), Bauchi (Bauchi), Borno (Maiduguri), Gombe (Gombe), Taraba (Jalingo), and Yobe (Damaturu). The North-Central Zone has six states plus the FCT: Benue (Makurdi), Kogi (Lokoja), Kwara (Ilorin), Nasarawa (Lafia), Niger (Minna), Plateau (Jos), and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja). The South-West Zone has six states: Ekiti (Ado-Ekiti), Lagos (Ikeja), Ogun (Abeokuta), Ondo (Akure), Osun (Osogbo), and Oyo (Ibadan). The South-South Zone has six states: Akwa Ibom (Uyo), Bayelsa (Yenagoa), Cross River (Calabar), Delta (Asaba), Edo (Benin City), and Rivers (Port Harcourt). The South-East Zone has five states: Abia (Umuahia), Anambra (Awka), Ebonyi (Abakaliki), Enugu (Enugu), and Imo (Owerri).

Based on the APC campaign rally schedule obtained by this newspaper, President Tinubu will not make personal appearances in 31 states across the federation. In the North-West, the states skipped are Sokoto (Sokoto), Kano (Kano), Katsina (Katsina), Kebbi (Birnin Kebbi), Zamfara (Gusau), and Jigawa (Dutse). Only Kaduna makes the President’s personal campaign itinerary in the North-West.

In the North-East, the states skipped are Bauchi (Bauchi), Adamawa (Yola), Gombe (Gombe), Taraba (Jalingo), and Yobe (Damaturu). Only Maiduguri, Borno State, will host the President in the North-East.

In the North-Central, the states skipped are Benue (Makurdi), Kogi (Lokoja), Kwara (Ilorin), Nasarawa (Lafia), Niger (Minna), and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja). Only Jos, Plateau State, will host the President in the North-Central.

In the South-West, the states skipped are Ekiti (Ado-Ekiti), Ogun (Abeokuta), Ondo (Akure), and Osun (Osogbo). Only Ibadan, Oyo State, and the Lagos closing rally will feature the President in the South-West.

In the South-South, the states skipped are Akwa Ibom (Uyo), Bayelsa (Yenagoa), Cross River (Calabar), Delta (Asaba), and Edo (Benin City). Only Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will host the President in the South-South. In the South-East, the states skipped are Abia (Umuahia), Anambra (Awka), Ebonyi (Abakaliki), and Imo (Owerri). Only Enugu State will host the President in the South-East.

The states where President Tinubu will personally appear are Kaduna (24 October 2026), Rivers via Port Harcourt (7 November 2026), Plateau via Jos (14 November 2026), Oyo via Ibadan (21 November 2026), Borno via Maiduguri (25 November 2026), Enugu (28 November 2026), and Lagos for the major closing rally (9 January 2027).

The schedule also lists Sokoto on 5 December, Bauchi on 29 November, Yola in Adamawa on 4 January 2027, and Kano on 17 December, but these are not marked for President Visibility. A South-South date of 12 December is also listed without a specific state or President Visibility.

President Tinubu had hinted at this approach during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he told party leaders that he would not accompany them to every campaign event.

“You’ve warned me not to allow the rigour of the campaign to distract me from governance, I hear you. I am in full agreement with your decision. Nigeria needs more attention now,” the President said.

“So, you will excuse me from going everywhere with you. We have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait,” he added.

Tinubu explained that his administration has financial obligations to meet and needs to continue attracting foreign investment, stressing that the responsibilities of his office cannot pause for electioneering. “The responsibility of this office does not pause. The job must go on,” he stated.

The APC Presidential Campaign Council is chaired by President Tinubu, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda serving as first and second vice-chairmen respectively. Former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari was named Director-General of the council.

Key appointments include Femi Gbajabiamila as head of administration, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as secretary, and former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje as director of stakeholder mobilisation.

In a move signalling outreach beyond traditional party ranks, the APC named political figures outside its fold to coordinate support in some states, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for Rivers State and the FCT, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo for Anambra, and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke for Osun.

President Tinubu is seeking a second term in the 2027 presidential election, scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

With the campaign council inaugurated and the rally timetable released, the ruling party has formally set its re-election machinery in motion. The coming weeks will reveal whether the President’s selective campaign strategy strengthens the APC’s grassroots mobilisation or leaves gaps that opposition parties can exploit.