By David Oluwatosin
Vice President Kashim Shettima has acknowledged the economic hardship Nigerians are experiencing following the Federal Government’s economic reforms but urged voters to re-elect President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Shettima made the appeal at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally held at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, Cross River State, where he defended the administration’s economic policies, arguing that their benefits were beginning to emerge despite the difficulties faced by citizens.
The Vice President maintained that the reforms were necessary to address longstanding economic challenges, urging Nigerians to give the administration more time to deliver its promised results.
Drawing comparisons with the leadership of Singapore’s former Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, Shettima argued that difficult policy decisions were sometimes unavoidable in the pursuit of long-term national development.
He urged Nigerians to assess the Tinubu administration’s performance against the economic conditions it inherited in 2023, insisting that the reforms should be evaluated within the context of the challenges confronting the country when the government assumed office.
Shettima also appealed to Cross River voters to support the re-election of Tinubu, Governor Bassey Otu, Deputy Governor Peter Odey and APC candidates seeking legislative positions in 2027.
At the rally, Governor Otu highlighted several Federal Government infrastructure projects expected to benefit Cross River State, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport and the proposed Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat in Calabar.
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According to him, the projects have the potential to improve transportation, attract investments and create employment opportunities for residents.
He urged the people of Cross River to support the APC across all levels of government in the forthcoming general elections, saying continued cooperation with the Federal Government would facilitate development in the state.
Otu also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one of the Federal Government’s interventions aimed at reducing the financial burden of tertiary education on Nigerian families.
The rally attracted several prominent APC leaders and political stakeholders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, members of the National Assembly, APC governors, party officials and other supporters.
The gathering formed part of the party’s political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with party leaders seeking to consolidate support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition and the re-election of APC candidates in Cross River State.
