By Nkechi Eze
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) at all levels ahead of the 2027 general elections, as Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, highlighted the Federal Government’s road infrastructure projects at the party’s North-West zonal presidential campaign rally in Kaduna.
The rally, held at the Kaduna Township Stadium on Saturday, October 24, brought together party leaders, governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers and supporters to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election bid and showcase the administration’s infrastructure programme.
According to an official statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mohammed A. Ahmed, Umahi, who is also the Deputy Director-General of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council, disclosed that the Federal Government had completed 348 kilometres of inherited and newly initiated road projects, while 4,084 kilometres remained ongoing and another 1,811 kilometres were partially completed.
The minister said the figures reflected the scale of the government’s road development programme, stressing the importance of sustained investment in infrastructure to economic growth, regional connectivity and improved living standards.
Addressing supporters at the rally, Tinubu urged eligible Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the electoral process, while calling for support for the APC across all levels of government.
“Vote APC from top to bottom, APC everywhere,” the President declared.
He reaffirmed his commitment to infrastructure development and other programmes aimed at improving the welfare and prosperity of Nigerians, while commending governors, youths, traditional rulers and other stakeholders for their contributions to national development.
Umahi identified the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Expressway as one of the strategic road corridors receiving attention under the Federal Government’s infrastructure programme.
The minister highlighted interventions on the expressway, including the 118-kilometre Lot 1, as well as sections involving 30 kilometres in Kano and the 81-kilometre Tungan Maje–Jere alignment.
He said improved road conditions along the corridor would strengthen connectivity between the Federal Capital Territory and major commercial and agricultural centres in Kaduna and Kano states, facilitating passenger movement, trade and the distribution of agricultural produce and manufactured goods.
Other projects highlighted in Kano State included the Northern Bypass, the dualisation of the Kano–Maiduguri Road, Section I, covering the Kano–Shuwarin stretch, and the Yakasai–Badume–Damargu–Marken Jalli Road.
Umahi said road infrastructure remained critical to the North-West because of the region’s extensive agricultural activities, commercial networks and movement of goods across state boundaries.
He noted that improved roads could reduce transportation costs, strengthen agricultural supply chains, create employment and improve access to essential services, while connecting rural communities to larger economic centres.
The minister, however, stressed the importance of adequate funding, effective supervision, timely project execution and sustainable maintenance to ensure that ongoing and completed projects delivered lasting benefits.
Vice President Kashim Shettima also highlighted the administration’s development initiatives across Northern Nigeria, particularly in road infrastructure, agriculture, regional connectivity and economic expansion.
Shettima commended Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure interventions in the North, maintaining that improved road networks were essential for connecting farmers to markets, facilitating commercial activities and promoting inclusive development.
He also expressed confidence in the continued political support of Northern Nigeria for the President ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, urged Nigerians to assess government performance based on verifiable achievements and tangible development outcomes rather than narratives circulating on social media.
He encouraged voters to examine completed projects, ongoing interventions and fulfilled commitments in evaluating the administration’s performance.
Similarly, the Director-General of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, urged political stakeholders and supporters to reject misinformation and promote constructive political engagement.
Yari maintained that leadership should be assessed through commitments, performance and delivery, with infrastructure and public welfare remaining central to political discourse.
A major highlight of the rally was the presentation of APC flags to seven governors from the North-West seeking re-election. The flags were presented by the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, as part of preparations and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The event was attended by Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Shettima’s wife, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima; governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers and other senior party officials.
The rally provided a platform for the APC to mobilise political support while highlighting the Federal Government’s road infrastructure priorities and reported progress on inherited and newly initiated projects.
