— President Tinubu Seeks Continuity as Umahi Highlights Road Infrastructure Progress; Seven APC Governorship Flag Bearers Receive Party Flags
Kaduna became a major centre of political mobilisation and infrastructure advocacy on Saturday, October 24, 2026, as supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, converged on the Kaduna Township Stadium for the flag-off of the North West Zonal Presidential Campaign that placed the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope infrastructure agenda at the heart of the political engagement.
The Political Rally brought together party leaders, governors, lawmakers, political mobilisers, traditional rulers, youths, women’s groups and supporters from different parts of the country to canvass support for continuity, highlight government achievements and project the administration’s development agenda ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, urged eligible Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the forthcoming electoral process. He called for support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) party at all levels, declaring, “Vote APC from top to bottom, APC everywhere.”
The President reaffirmed his commitment to national development, promising to continue infrastructure delivery and other laudable programmes aimed at improving Nigerians’ welfare and prosperity. He also commended governors, the youths, traditional rulers and other stakeholders for their contributions to national development.
At the centre of the infrastructure advocacy was the Honourable Minister of Works and Deputy Director-General, Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation, of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC). Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, who highlighted the scale of the Federal Government’s road development programme, the progress recorded and the importance of infrastructure investment to economic growth, particularly in the North West Zone.
According to figures presented by the Minister, the Federal Government had completed 348 kilometres of inherited and newly initiated road projects, while the total length of ongoing projects stood at 4,084 kilometres. He further reported that partially completed projects accounted for 1,811 kilometres.
These figures illustrate the scale of the Federal Government’s road infrastructure drive, reflecting progress in project delivery, while highlighting the substantial work still required to expand and improve the country’s road network. The completion of inherited and new projects represents progress in translating infrastructure commitments into usable roads that can provide tangible benefits to road users and communities.
The 4,084 kilometres of ongoing projects represent a substantial pipeline of infrastructure investments, whose successful completion will strengthen connectivity between states, commercial centres, agricultural communities and major economic hubs. Similarly, the 1,811 kilometres of partially completed projects underscore the importance of sustained funding, effective supervision, timely execution and continuity to bring unfinished infrastructure to fruition.
In the North West, road infrastructure is particularly important because of the Zone’s extensive agricultural activities, commercial networks, and the movement of people and goods across state boundaries. The Minister opined that “improved roads reduce transportation difficulties, facilitate trade, strengthen agricultural supply chains, create employment and improve access to essential services. They also help farmers transport produce to markets more efficiently, enable traders to move goods at lower cost and connect rural communities to larger economic centres.”
Among the key road interventions highlighted was the Outstanding Sections of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Expressway, a strategic transport corridor linking the Federal Capital Territory with major commercial and agricultural centres in Kaduna and Kano States. Umahi’s presentation identified the 118-kilometre, Lot 1 of the Expressway among the key completed project interventions, with Kano’s 30 kilometres and the 81-kilometre Tungan Maje-Jere alignments commissioned.
The Expressway is particularly important to the Zone due to the economic relationship between Kaduna and Kano, two major commercial and industrial centres, as well as their connections to Abuja and other parts of the country. “Improved road conditions along this corridor will facilitate passenger movement, strengthen trade, support the distribution of agricultural produce and manufactured goods, reduce vehicle operating costs and improve transportation efficiency for businesses and commuters,” he noted.
The Minister also reported road construction interventions in Kano State, including the Northern Bypass, Dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri Road, Section I (Kano-Shuwarin) and the Yakasai–Badume–Damargu–Marken Jalli Road. Such interventions are important for improving access within communities, connecting rural settlements to larger markets and supporting local economic activities and growth.
Sustained investment in road infrastructure has the potential to strengthen links between agricultural production areas and urban markets, improve commercial activities and support the movement of goods, and services between Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi States. More reliable transport connections also help businesses reach wider markets, improve the distribution of essential commodities, and services, and encourage investment in communities, where poor roads have stunted socioeconomic growth.
Road construction can generate direct employment for engineers, technicians, construction workers and other professionals, while creating indirect opportunities for suppliers, transport operators, traders and local businesses. In the longer term, improved connectivity can help reduce logistical barriers, enhance the competitiveness of local enterprises and support economic activities across the region.
The significance of these infrastructure investments, however, depends on timely completion, adherence to engineering standards, transparent management of public resources and effective maintenance. These measures are essential to ensuring that completed roads remain safe and serviceable and that ongoing projects translate into lasting benefits for communities.
His Excellency, Vice President (Senator) Kashim Shettima, GCON, also highlighted the administration’s development strides across Northern Nigeria, drawing attention to road infrastructure, agriculture, regional connectivity and the expansion of economic opportunities and frontiers.
He commended President Tinubu for recognising the infrastructure challenges confronting the North and prioritising interventions intended to address them. According to him, improved road networks are essential for connecting farmers to markets, facilitating commercial activities, and promoting inclusive development. The Vice President expressed confidence in the continued political support of Northern Nigeria, assuring the President of the region’s solidarity ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kaduna State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, urged citizens to assess government performance through verifiable achievements and tangible development outcomes rather than relying solely on narratives circulating on social media. He encouraged the electorate to examine completed projects, ongoing interventions, and fulfilled commitments, while calling for continued support for the administration’s development agenda.
Similarly, the Director-General, 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Senator Abdulaziz Yari, urged political stakeholders and supporters, particularly in Northern Nigeria, to reject misinformation and promote constructive political campaigning and participation. He maintained that leadership should be assessed through commitments, performance, and delivery, with infrastructure and public welfare remaining central to any political discourse.
A major highlight of the gathering was the presentation of APC flags to the seven (7) Governors from the Zone seeking re-election. The flags were presented by the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, symbolising the party’s preparations and mobilisation ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The Ceremony brought together party leaders, APC Governors across the country, lawmakers, traditional and opinion leaders, and other stakeholders, underscoring the party’s efforts to consolidate its political gains and structures, across the Zone and beyond.
President Tinubu was accompanied by his wife, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Vice President, his wife, Her Excellency, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima; Governors, lawmakers, and other senior party officials.
Beyond its political significance, the Kaduna Rally provided a veritable platform for presenting the Renewed Hope Administration’s infrastructure priorities and highlighting progress on inherited and new road projects. The reported completion of 348 kilometres of road projects, alongside 4,084 kilometres of ongoing ones and 1,811 kilometres of partially completed projects in the Zone, reflects both the scale of infrastructure development and the work that remains to be done.
For the North West Zone, the practical importance of road infrastructure lies in its capacity to improve mobility, strengthen agricultural, commercial and industrial supply chains, facilitate regional trade and expand access to essential services. “The successful delivery of these projects requires consistent supervision, adequate funding, transparent implementation and sustainable maintenance to ensure that infrastructure investments provide lasting value,” Engr. Umahi declared.
As the Renewed Hope infrastructure agenda continues to feature prominently in the administration’s political messaging ahead of the 2027 General Elections, the central consideration remains the extent to which it delivers measurable improvements in the lives of people and businesses across the region.
The Campaign, therefore, serves both as a platform for political mobilisation and an opportunity to highlight the Federal Government’s road infrastructure priorities and interventions. Ultimately, the value of these investments will be measured by the roads completed and maintained, the communities they connect, and the difference they make to transportation, commerce, agricultural productivity, and economic development across the region.
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