Senator Abdulaziz Yari, director‑general of the [All Progressives Congress](https://www.apc.ng) Presidential Campaign Council, announced on Thursday that the party’s re‑election drive for [President Bola Tinubu](https://www.president.gov.ng) will be formally launched on 14 October at the State House banquet hall and will be flag‑off in Kaduna on 24 October, with a nationwide tour already cleared by the president.
**When is the campaign set to begin?**
Yari confirmed that the inauguration ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 14 October, in the State House Banquet Hall. The official flag‑off is scheduled for 24 October in Kaduna, after which the team will embark on a pre‑approved itinerary covering key states across the federation.
**How many states does Tinubu claim to control?**
According to Yari, President Tinubu enjoys the backing of more than 20 states in the federation. He contrasted this with the opposition, stating that neither [Peter Obi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Obi) of the Nigeria Democratic Congress nor former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress can point to control of any state outside their traditional regions.
**What is the first leg of the tour?**
After the Kaduna launch, the campaign will move to Port Harcourt in Rivers State, followed by a visit to Maiduguri in Borno State. Yari said the full schedule will be released after the inauguration, but the sequence has already been approved by the president’s team.
**What does Yari say about the opposition’s chances?**
He dismissed the notion that the ADC or NDC candidates could win without a national spread, arguing, “If Allah uses me to support you, there is no how Allah will use you to bring me down. They cannot bring him down.” He further questioned whether the ADC could claim any southern state and whether Obi could claim any northern state, emphasizing that regional dominance alone is insufficient for victory.
**Why is a national footprint essential?**
Yari cited the 2011 presidential election, noting that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari secured over 70 % of the northern vote and controlled 11 northern states but failed to win nationally because he lacked any southern state. He argued that Tinubu now controls a conservative estimate of more than 10 southern states and a similar number in the north, giving him a decisive advantage.
**What is the campaign’s message to voters?**
The former Zamfara governor claimed that Tinubu’s administration has turned the economic situation around since taking office. “We are not promising; we are doing it, and we will continue,” Yari said, stressing that the APC will campaign on performance rather than empty promises.
**When was Yari appointed to his current role?**
Yari was named director‑general of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in August 2026, tasked with mobilising support for Tinubu’s second‑term bid ahead of the 2027 general election.