President Bola Tinubu’s re‑election drive will see him absent from campaign rallies in more than twenty states, a fact highlighted in the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) timetable for the tinubu campaign that launches on October 24, 2026, in Kaduna. The party’s schedule, released on Thursday, assigns senior APC officials and members of the campaign council to represent the president in the states he will not attend, while earmarking twelve states for his personal appearance.
The timetable outlines a busy opening week, with Tinubu expected to attend the inaugural rally in Kaduna before skipping four consecutive events in Cross River on November 2, Gombe on November 3, Nasarawa on November 4 and his home state of Ekiti on November 5. He is slated to reappear in Rivers on November 7, then miss another series of gatherings in Ebonyi (Nov 9), Jigawa (Nov 10), Ondo (Nov 11) and Edo (Nov 12). The president will return to the trail in Plateau on November 14, but will again be absent for rallies in Yobe, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom and Anambra on November 16‑19.
After a brief appearance in Oyo on November 21, Tinubu’s itinerary lists three more states, Borno, Enugu and Bauchi, on November 25, 28 and 29 respectively, before he skips the Benue rally on November 30. The final months of 2026 see him in Sokoto (Dec 5), Delta (Dec 12) and Kano (Dec 17). The last two campaign stops are scheduled for Adamawa on January 4, 2027, and Lagos on January 9, marking the close of his personal campaigning phase.
The APC’s decision to delegate the remaining twelve states slated for December to party leaders reflects a strategic choice to maintain a national presence while allowing the president to focus on governing duties. Tinubu has repeatedly said his limited physical campaigning is a consequence of the need to balance the re‑election push with the responsibilities of running a country. Speaking at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja’s Presidential Villa, he told reporters that “there is still a country to run,” and pledged to create opportunities to address Nigerians directly despite his reduced travel schedule.
Opposition parties have seized on the extensive list of absences, questioning the president’s commitment to engaging voters across the federation. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) issued a statement urging Tinubu to either campaign in every state or withdraw from the presidential contest altogether. Former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar, speaking through ADC Strategic Communication Director Phrank Shaibu, accused the president of avoiding direct voter contact. “Tinubu says he may miss campaign rallies because Nigeria needs his attention. Where was that urgency when Nigerians pleaded for relief? He has had three and a half years to govern. In that time, families have been forced to cut meals, postpone medical care and watch their earnings lose value before they get home,” Shaibu quoted Atiku as saying. He added that the president should first account for his first term before seeking another mandate.
Health rumors have also surfaced, with some critics linking the planned absences to concerns about Tinubu’s wellbeing. The president, however, has dismissed these suggestions, reiterating that his selective participation stems solely from the need to continue governing while pursuing re‑election. The APC’s campaign council, composed of senior party figures, is expected to travel across the remaining states and local government areas, holding rallies, town‑hall meetings and other outreach events on Tinubu’s behalf.
Political analysts note that the APC’s approach mirrors past campaigns where incumbents relied heavily on party structures to sustain nationwide visibility. Nigeria’s presidential elections require candidates to secure a spread of votes across the country’s diverse regions, and the party’s decision to concentrate Tinubu’s appearances in strategically important states may be aimed at consolidating support in key battlegrounds while trusting the party’s grassroots machinery elsewhere.
For ordinary Nigerians, the schedule means that many will hear directly from local APC leaders rather than the president himself. In states where Tinubu is absent, party officials are expected to deliver speeches, field questions and present the administration’s achievements, hoping to offset any perception of neglect. The president’s limited travel could also free up time for policy work in Abuja, a point he has emphasized as evidence of responsible governance.
As the campaign period unfolds, the next significant development will be the first set of rallies after the Kaduna launch. Observers will watch how the APC’s delegated efforts are received in the states without Tinubu’s presence and whether the opposition’s criticism gains traction among voters. The party has not indicated any intention to alter the timetable, leaving the upcoming weeks crucial for shaping public opinion ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
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