2027: ‘It’s Time to Pay Tinubu Back,’ Ganduje Tells Supporters

By Umar Idris Shuaibu

Former Kano State Governor and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called on supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election, describing the President’s re-election campaign as an opportunity to reciprocate his past political support for other leaders.

Ganduje spoke in Abuja while receiving an appointment letter naming him Grand Patron of the Diehard Tinubu Support Group at his residence.

The letter was presented by the group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Abdulrahman Mohammed, who said the appointment was in recognition of Ganduje’s foresight, hard work and efforts to unite support groups working in support of Tinubu.

In his response, Ganduje thanked the group’s leadership for the honour and commended its commitment, saying its name reflected the sincerity and passion behind its activities.

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He urged members to remain united and committed to their mobilisation efforts, particularly at the grassroots, as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Explaining why he believes Tinubu deserves support, Ganduje recalled the President’s role in supporting the presidential ambitions of several political figures, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the current National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribaɗo.

He noted that although both men had presidential ambitions, neither eventually became president.

Ganduje also recalled how Tinubu supported former President Muhammadu Buhari after his repeated unsuccessful attempts to win the presidency.

According to him, Tinubu encouraged Buhari to join forces with him, a move that contributed to the formation of the APC and Buhari’s eventual victory in the 2015 presidential election.

Ganduje further said Tinubu stood by Buhari throughout his eight years in office, despite periods of ill health, and resisted pressure from some quarters to abandon the former president.

He argued that Tinubu’s political support for other leaders was a reason his supporters should now rally behind him.

“So what remains now? Payback! So, we are paying back,” Ganduje said.

The former governor praised the Diehard Tinubu Support Group for its grassroots mobilisation strategy, which he said involved reaching voters from house to house, polling unit to polling unit, community to community, ward to ward, village to village and city to city.

“There’s no better organisational structure than this, in order to ensure that we win this election come 2027,” he said.

Ganduje assured the group of his support, promising to provide guidance, prayers and facilitation while helping ensure that relevant stakeholders were included in its activities.

He, however, advised the group to increase women’s participation, particularly in Northern Nigeria, saying women could play a crucial role in reaching households and engaging communities during campaigns.

According to him, cultural restrictions in some communities may limit men’s access to certain households, while women can more easily interact with other women and participate in domestic and community activities.

“When you say you’ll do house-to-house, if you go to some houses, most of the houses in the northern part of this country, if you go, if a man goes, some houses it is clearly written, ‘No man is allowed to enter.’ But a woman has no boundary,” he said.

Ganduje added that women could strengthen the group’s outreach by engaging other women in their homes and communities, describing their participation as an important component of grassroots mobilisation.

He also commended Tinubu’s administration for what he described as its visionary leadership, foresight and efforts to transform the country.