Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to re-elect President Bola Tinubu in 2027 as he described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the most trustworthy political party for the country.
Shettima made the appeal on Monday during the APC presidential campaign rally in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, where he also sought support for Governor Bassey Otu and other candidates of the party.
He assured residents that the APC remained committed to their interests, citing their support for the party over the past three years.
Addressing the crowd, the Vice President said: “To the people of Cross Rivers State, we have come to you again, we have come as the most trustworthy friends that you can ever have, these are not empty words. Over the past three years, you have shown us support and have resisted the lies and propaganda intended to misrepresent us, this is why we are here.
“We don’t take this strong will for granted and so I bring you warm greetings from his Excellency, President Bola Tinubu.”
Shettima described the relationship between the APC and the people of Cross River as an alliance built on progress, prosperity, opportunities and dignity.
He said the party was seeking another mandate from voters because political authority belonged to the people, who deserved accountability from those entrusted with public office.
The Vice President urged residents to support Tinubu for another four years, alongside himself as Vice President and Otu for a second term as governor.
He also appealed to voters to elect APC candidates into the National Assembly and the Cross River State House of Assembly.
“I stand before you today to ask you once again to renew the mandate of his Excellency, Tinubu as President of Nigeria and myself as Vice President and another term for Bassey Otu as Governor of Cross River State. Vote APC from top to bottom,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Adams Oshiomhole used the rally to attack opposition figures, particularly the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is contesting under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The former Edo State governor questioned Obi’s capacity to lead Nigeria, arguing that he failed to address Anambra State’s challenges during his eight years as governor.
He also mocked Obi’s promise to serve only one term if elected president, insisting that the former Anambra governor had not demonstrated the capacity to deliver within four years.
“If Peter Obi could not fix Anambra State in eight years, how can he look you korokoro in the eye and say he will do it in four years?” Oshiomhole asked.
Turning to Atiku, the senator accused the former Vice-President of spending much of his time in Dubai and returning to Nigeria mainly during election periods.
He predicted that Atiku would return to Dubai after losing the 2027 presidential election.
“Atiku, who lives in Dubai, only comes home at the eve of every election. When he loses this one, as he will lose, in January or by February, Atiku will be back in Dubai,” he said.
Oshiomhole also defended the Tinubu administration’s policies and highlighted what he described as its achievements, particularly in Cross River State.
He said the resolution of Cross River’s non-littoral status and its recognition as an oil-producing state would increase the revenue accruing to the state and improve its economic prospects.
On education, he praised the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, arguing that it had expanded access to higher education for young Nigerians whose parents could not afford their tuition fees.
The senator also cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project, saying its completion would create economic opportunities and accelerate development in Cross River State.
Defending the administration’s economic policies, Oshiomhole specifically pointed to the abolition of multiple exchange rates, arguing that the previous arrangement favoured people based on their connections.
He said the current exchange rate system had replaced the disparities associated with the former arrangement, adding that implementing the reforms required courage and visionary leadership.
The senator urged Cross River residents to reject opposition parties and maintain their support for the APC, expressing confidence in the party’s political future in the state.
“Today, tomorrow, and forever, I believe APC has come to stay in Cross River, and together we will advance the growth and development of Nigeria,” he said.
