Vice President Kashim Shettima has acknowledged the hardship Nigerians are facing as a result of the Federal Government’s economic reforms but appealed to voters to re-elect President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Shettima made the appeal at the APC presidential campaign rally at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, where he defended the administration’s policies, arguing that their benefits were beginning to emerge despite the difficulties they had imposed on citizens.

He compared Tinubu’s approach to the leadership of Singapore’s former Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, saying difficult decisions were sometimes necessary to achieve long-term national development.

The Vice President urged Nigerians to assess the administration’s performance against the economic situation it inherited in 2023, insisting that the reforms should be given more time to produce results.

He also appealed to Cross River voters to support the re-election of Tinubu, Governor Bassey Otu, Deputy Governor Peter Odey and APC candidates contesting legislative seats in 2027.

Governor Otu, who also addressed the rally, highlighted federal infrastructure projects expected to benefit Cross River, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport and the proposed Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat in Calabar.

He said the projects could improve transportation, attract investments and create employment opportunities, while urging residents to support the APC at all levels in the next general elections.

Otu also cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as one of the Federal Government’s interventions that could ease the financial burden of tertiary education on families.

The rally was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, members of the National Assembly, APC governors, party officials and other political stakeholders.

A former member of the House of Representatives for Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Olusegun Williams, has defected from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Williams, a two-term federal lawmaker, announced his defection on Monday in Abeokuta while being received into the PDP alongside his supporters.

Speaking at the event, Williams said he was returning to the PDP, which he described as his original political home.

The former lawmaker said he had seen it all in the APC and was in a better position to explain the party.

“My friends and colleagues counselled me then that Segun, go and join PDP, PDP is the only party. But for some reasons I found myself in APC.

“I won’t say too many words today because my boss has said most of it. But we’ve been there, we’ve seen, we’ve conquered. There is no one in APC today that can explain APC more than me. When it was nothing, we built it up, I have witnesses,” he said.

Williams lamented that politics in the APC had become like a cult, dominated by proxies.

“There are times I will have sleepless nights and think, is this how to do politics like cult? It has now gotten to talks of proxy, proxy and proxies,” he added.

He appreciated the governorship candidate of the PDP, Oladipupo Adebutu, and other party leaders for making his defection possible.

According to him, his decision followed a phone call from Adebutu inviting him to join the PDP, which he accepted after consulting his people.

Williams urged members of the PDP to work together to move the party forward, expressing confidence that the party would win the next governorship election in the state.

“Don’t be scared. They said we’re not going to vote?, they are lying, we are going to vote and be elected as the governor. The way we have been doing it in the past that’s the way we’ll continue to do it,” he added.

Speaking earlier, while welcoming Williams into the party, Adebutu said political parties should be allowed to present their scorecards to the people and seek their support through the democratic process, rather than attempting to weaken opponents.

He said attempts to frustrate their candidates would not stop the party and its activities across the state.

“Today, information is widely available, and people can see what is happening. Naturally, these things affect us, but we will resist them,” Adebutu said.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the procurement of brand-new Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for newly upgraded traditional rulers across the Federal Capital Territory.

The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, disclosed this at the weekend in Abuja at the Rainbow Coalition Stakeholders Rally and unveiling of FCT National Assembly candidates, organised by the FCT Stakeholders Assembly at the Old Parade Ground.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Press, Office of the FCT Minister, Rabi Musa Umar.

The rally brought together traditional rulers, the six area council chairmen, leaders of indigenous communities, youth and women groups, and party leaders across divides, including the APC and PDP chairmen in the FCT, who jointly endorsed President Tinubu for a second term in 2027, alongside Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda for FCT Senate, Hon. John Gabaya for Abuja North and Hon. Danladi Chiya for Abuja South Federal Constituencies.

According to the statement, the minister attributed the presidential gesture on SUVs to recognition of the vital roles traditional rulers play in preserving culture and maintaining peace, noting that the President’s approval of the upgrade of traditional stools, which was abandoned for 27 years, underscores his commitment to the FCT.

“Mr President has said that you cannot just answer royal fathers by mouth. You cannot just answer royal fathers by entering Keke Napep. You cannot answer royal fathers by entering Okada. That all of you, by the grace of God, before December, you will go with your SUV cars.

“If there is any traditional institution that needs to be treated well, that needs empowerment, it’s the traditional institution of the Federal Capital Territory”, the statement quoted Wike as saying.

Charging supporters to translate endorsement into votes, the FCT Minister declared a strict grassroots mandate ahead of the January 16, 2027 election.

“Deliver your polling unit, deliver your ward, deliver your local government, deliver your state”, he said.

He warned against claiming victory without grassroots contribution.

“I don’t want to hear: I lost my polling unit, but we won. If you lose your polling unit, don’t say we won because you never contributed to the victory. So, everybody go home, it’s an operation to deliver your polling unit”, Wike stated.

“We shall never make the mistake we made in 2023. When you realise a mistake, you correct it. To God be the glory, come January 2027, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda will be elected because he identifies with you and cares about you”, Wike said, questioning whether the incumbent Senator had ever called constituents for a meeting or moved a bill for FCT.

To empower youth mobilisation for the election, the minister announced President Tinubu’s approval of four buses for FCT youths and fixed November 10 for an interactive session with youths across the six area councils.

He also promised a separate engagement with persons with disabilities, stressing that “disability does not mean you do not have capacity”.