Tinubu Should Be Careful With Some Governors Ahead of 2027 Campaigns, Sambo Warns

Arise News Director of News and Politics Editor, Sumner Sambo, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against placing too much trust in some state governors as the President prepares for his 2027 re-election campaign.

Sambo’s warning followed Tinubu’s announcement that he would not visit every state in the country during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign.

Speaking on Arise News, the journalist described the decision to limit campaign trips as a potential weakness for the ruling party, noting that presidential candidates in previous elections had travelled extensively to engage voters and demonstrate their capacity to lead.

He cited former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 campaign, during which Buhari visited several states, sometimes travelling to two or three states in a day, depending on the campaign schedule.

Sambo said Buhari’s extensive travels helped him counter concerns about his health and physical ability to campaign. He also referenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 2003 campaign as another example of a presidential candidate who travelled widely to reach voters.

“ if you juxtapose Buhari’s campaign with Tinubu’s, it could actually be seen as a weak point,” Sambo said, arguing that Tinubu’s more limited campaign schedule could attract criticism from political opponents.

However, he acknowledged that campaign strategies differ internationally, citing United States President Donald Trump’s approach to campaigning, which focused heavily on battleground and swing states during his re-election bid.

Sambo noted that some opposition figures had questioned Tinubu’s physical capacity to campaign extensively, while others had suggested that the President was avoiding direct engagement with voters because of public anger over the country’s economic difficulties. These were opposition claims cited by the journalist, not established facts.

He added that Tinubu should carefully consider the advice he receives from his aides and campaign team, arguing that travelling across the country could provide the President with opportunities to interact with citizens, traditional rulers and communities facing security challenges.

According to Sambo, Buhari’s campaign travels in 2019 enabled him to meet traditional leaders and visit areas affected by insurgency, giving him a chance to observe conditions directly.

Sambo said Tinubu’s limited travels before and during the campaign period could reduce similar opportunities for direct engagement with Nigerians and first-hand assessment of challenges across the country.

He therefore urged the President to exercise caution when relying on governors and members of his campaign team to represent local realities and manage campaign activities in states he may not visit personally.

“If he is going to visit only a few places, I would say that he should be very, very careful with some state governors and members of his campaign team,” Sambo said.

He added that there were issues surrounding the political landscape that he could not disclose at the time, without providing further details.

Tinubu’s campaign strategy is likely to remain a subject of political debate as parties prepare for the 2027 presidential election, particularly over how candidates balance nationwide engagement with targeted campaigning.