President Bola Tinubu is expected to miss campaign rallies in more than 20 states as the All Progressives Congress (APC) begins its nationwide campaign for his re-election ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Under the campaign timetable released by the ruling party late Thursday, APC leaders and members of the presidential campaign council will represent Tinubu at several rallies across the country, while the president is scheduled to personally attend events in 12 states.
The campaign is scheduled to kick off in Kaduna State on October 24, 2026, with rallies planned across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the months leading up to the presidential election.
A copy of the timetable, sighted by Daily Trust, indicates that Tinubu will balance his participation in campaign activities with his responsibilities as president.
Tinubu’s APC Campaign Schedule for 2026 and 2027
According to the schedule, Tinubu will not attend the campaign rally in Cross River State on November 2. He is also expected to be absent from rallies in Gombe on November 3, Nasarawa on November 4 and Ekiti on November 5.
The president is scheduled to join the campaign rally in Rivers State on November 7.
Tinubu will subsequently miss campaign events in Ebonyi on November 9, Jigawa on November 10, Ondo on November 11 and Edo on November 12. He is expected to return to the campaign trail in Plateau State on November 14.
The timetable further indicates that the president will be absent from rallies in Yobe on November 16, Kebbi on November 17, Akwa Ibom on November 18 and Anambra on November 19.
Tinubu is scheduled to attend the APC campaign rally in Oyo State on November 21 before proceeding to other campaign engagements later in the month.
The president is expected to attend rallies in Borno on November 25, Enugu on November 28 and Bauchi on November 29. However, APC leaders are expected to represent him at the campaign rally in Benue State on November 30.
December Campaign Rallies and Final Appearances
The APC campaign tour is expected to continue in December, with Tinubu scheduled to attend rallies in Sokoto State on December 5, Delta State on December 12 and Kano State on December 17.
His final two scheduled appearances under the published timetable are in Adamawa State on January 4, 2027, and Lagos State on January 9.
Party leaders and campaign council members are expected to represent the president at rallies in the remaining states scheduled for December, as the APC intensifies its nationwide mobilisation ahead of the 2027 election.
Overall, the timetable provides for Tinubu to personally attend campaign rallies in 12 states, leaving party leaders and other campaign officials to cover the remaining states and the FCT.
Tinubu Explains Why He May Miss Campaign Rallies
Tinubu had earlier indicated that he would not attend every APC campaign rally, citing the need to balance electioneering with the responsibilities of governing the country.
Speaking on Wednesday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the president stressed that Nigeria still needed to be governed even as the party prepared for the next presidential election.
His remarks suggested that his official responsibilities would limit his participation in some campaign activities.
Tinubu, however, pledged to make time to address Nigerians directly as APC leaders and campaign council members move across states and local government areas to seek support for his re-election.
The campaign arrangement is expected to place significant responsibility on the party’s leadership and campaign structures to mobilise voters in areas where the president will not be physically present.
Opposition Questions Tinubu’s Planned Absence
The president’s planned absence from several campaign rallies has drawn criticism from opposition figures, who have questioned the reasons behind his limited participation.
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) reportedly challenged Tinubu to campaign in every state or withdraw from the presidential race, while former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar alleged that the president was reluctant to face voters because of his performance in office.
Atiku, a leading presidential contender ahead of the 2027 election, made the remarks in a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council.
In the statement, Atiku questioned Tinubu’s explanation that governing responsibilities could prevent him from attending every campaign rally.
“Tinubu says he may miss campaign rallies because Nigeria needs his attention. Where was that urgency when Nigerians pleaded for relief?” Atiku asked.
He argued that Nigerians had endured economic hardship during Tinubu’s time in office, citing families cutting meals, postponing medical care and struggling with the declining value of their earnings.
“Now he wants another mandate. Before asking Nigerians for one, he must face them and account for the first term,” Atiku said.
The opposition’s criticism has added to the political debate surrounding the APC’s campaign strategy and the president’s planned participation in the nationwide rallies.
APC Faces Nationwide Mobilisation Ahead of 2027
With the campaign scheduled to begin in Kaduna on October 24, the APC is preparing to mobilise supporters across the country through rallies led by Tinubu, senior party officials and members of the presidential campaign council.
The timetable suggests that the party will rely on its national and state structures to maintain campaign momentum in locations where the president will not be present.
Tinubu’s decision to attend rallies in selected states, rather than every scheduled event, is likely to remain a subject of political debate as the 2027 presidential election approaches.
While the president has cited governance responsibilities as the reason for limiting his attendance, opposition figures have continued to challenge his explanation and demand greater direct engagement with voters.
The coming weeks are expected to test the APC’s ability to coordinate its nationwide campaign while managing competing demands on the president’s time.