Niger State Governor Umar Bago has announced that the state will serve as the headquarters for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign in the 2027 general elections, with himself leading the mobilisation efforts.
Addressing supporters, Bago said his leadership role was a continuation of his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu, describing Niger State as the “campaign hot quarters” for the president’s re-election drive.
He criticised members of the APC who, despite benefiting from the party’s government, had turned against it, accusing some former governors, ministers, advisers, and commissioners of political betrayal after years of service under the party.
Bago reiterated the “unwritten understanding” of rotating power between the north and south, saying it had maintained national stability in recent years. He argued that Tinubu, now in his second year, should be supported just as the north had completed its eight-year tenure under the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
On infrastructure, the governor dismissed criticisms, insisting that both Buhari and Tinubu inherited poor conditions in roads, schools, and hospitals, which they were addressing. He said his own administration was focused on “building, rebranding, and fixing” in Niger State, rather than creating problems.
He described attempts to use infrastructure and economic challenges as campaign tools against the APC as “shameless,” linking the current economic situation to the actions of previous administrations. While claiming to know “exactly” what he inherited, Bago said he had chosen not to probe past leaders.
On security, the governor maintained that Tinubu’s administration was not responsible for the situation it met, adding that security in Niger State had improved, with residents in previously unsafe areas now conducting business freely.
Bago also warned against politicising the forthcoming state assembly rerun and local government elections, urging unity within the APC and recalling that many critics had been instrumental in forming the party.
“We are Nigerians, and we love Nigeria. APC is what you are; some of you were party chairmen. We formed this APC together,” he said.
