By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

Vice President Kashim Shettima has defended President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming that its investments in infrastructure, security, agriculture and human capital development will significantly transform the economy of the South-East.

Shettima made the remarks on Monday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, where he appealed to residents to support Tinubu’s bid for re-election in the January 16, 2027 presidential election.

According to the Vice President, the Federal Government has introduced several initiatives aimed at addressing the region’s longstanding development challenges, improving transportation networks, strengthening food production and creating more economic opportunities.

He maintained that Ebonyi State had benefited from the administration through infrastructure projects, federal appointments and welfare programmes.

Shettima said the government had responded to the support it received from the people of Ebonyi with tangible projects and interventions, adding that the state deserved another opportunity to renew Tinubu’s mandate.

Among the major infrastructure projects highlighted by the Vice President was the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway, which forms part of the administration’s broader Trans-Saharan highway vision.

He also mentioned the Ndibe Bridge, expected to connect Ebonyi with Cross River State, the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Expressway and the Okposi-Ohaozara-Ukawu-Cross River road.

Shettima explained that the projects would improve transportation between the South-East and other parts of the country, making it easier for farmers and manufacturers to transport their products to different markets.

He added that improved road networks would reduce business expenses, increase market access and encourage commercial activities across the region.

On agriculture, the Vice President described Ebonyi as an important contributor to Nigeria’s food supply, particularly through its production of rice and cassava.

He listed fertiliser distribution, interest-free FarmerMoni support and investments in rural roads among the Federal Government’s interventions designed to improve agricultural productivity.

Shettima further disclosed that thousands of residents had received financial assistance through the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, while federal employment opportunities and digital skills programmes were helping young people develop their careers.

Addressing insecurity in the South-East, he said the Tinubu administration had intensified efforts to restore stability, insisting that economic development could not thrive without the protection of communities, businesses and infrastructure.

He cited the establishment and commencement of operations at the Nigerian Army Recruits Training Depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, as part of the government’s security interventions.

The Vice President also highlighted the establishment of the South-East Development Commission, the launch of South-East Vision 2050 and the approval of the South-East Investment Company as measures expected to attract investment and accelerate regional development.

He commended Governor Francis Nwifuru, noting that increased federal allocations had strengthened the ability of state governments to provide infrastructure and essential services.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, challenged party members in Ebonyi State to secure at least 1.2 million votes for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking at the rally, Yari said his target was based on figures provided by the Minister of Works, David Umahi.

He claimed that Ebonyi had approximately 1.8 million registered voters, with about 1.5 million Permanent Voter Cards collected.

Yari declared that the APC would work towards delivering a minimum of 1.2 million votes for the President.

However, Umahi raised the target to 1.3 million votes, expressing confidence that the state would deliver the expected support.

The Works Minister also praised Tinubu for reviving the 65-kilometre Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe road project, valued at N193 billion, saying construction had reached 40 per cent completion Umahi further insisted that Ebonyi remained firmly behind the APC.

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma also urged residents of Ebonyi to ensure they obtained their voter cards ahead of the election.

He warned that ongoing Federal Government projects could be discontinued if Tinubu failed to secure another term in office.

Uzodimma encouraged voters to support the APC, explaining that the party’s symbol, rather than Tinubu’s personal name, would appear on the ballot paper.

Similarly, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the campaign council’s Director of Mobilisation, criticised former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate.

Oshiomhole described Amaechi as a serial loser and recalled his previous legal challenge to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the PDP’s presidential candidate.

Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru, while reaffirming his support for Tinubu, said the state’s position was based on the administration’s performance rather than political sentiments.

However, he appealed to the President to address Ebonyi’s electricity infrastructure challenges.

Nwifuru explained that the state remained the only one without a 330kV transmission line, a situation he said had affected its industrial development.

He urged the Federal Government to provide funding for the project or take responsibility for its installation.

Representing the APC National Chairman, the party’s National Vice Chairman for the South-East, Ben Nwoye, also encouraged members to vote for the APC in the January 16 and February 6 elections.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has accused the APC-led administration of building a country that benefits only a privileged few.

Makinde made the allegation during his party’s presidential campaign rally in Jos, Plateau State, where he criticised Tinubu’s government over the economic and living conditions of Nigerians.

He also accused the ruling party of adopting ideas from his party’s RESET Agenda, particularly its proposed reforms aimed at creating a country that works for everyone.

According to him, the APC’s recent emphasis on reform and prosperity raises questions about what the administration has achieved since assuming office.

Makinde urged Nigerians to reject the ruling party and support the APM, promising to introduce policies that would improve the country’s economic situation.

He identified insecurity as one of the major challenges affecting Plateau State’s economic potential, promising that an APM government would prioritise security, tourism and employment opportunities.

The presidential candidate argued that restoring peace would encourage tourism, attract investments and create jobs for young people across the state.

He also urged party supporters to intensify their grassroots mobilisation, stressing that election victories were determined by activities at polling units.

The APM vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, also expressed concern over the security situation in Plateau, recalling the state’s previous reputation as a major tourist destination.

The party’s National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, criticised the Federal Government’s handling of fuel subsidy removal, questioning whether the policy had improved the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

He argued that despite the government’s justification for removing the subsidy, many citizens continued to struggle with high food prices, transportation costs and insecurity affecting agricultural activities.

In a separate development, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has accused the APC of attempting to undermine opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party’s National Chairman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made the allegations in a statement, claiming that the ruling party was interfering in the internal affairs of opposition groups and using state power to frustrate their political activities.

The PRP also accused the APC of exploiting religious and ethnic divisions to strengthen its electoral position.

According to Baba-Ahmed, the ruling party was increasingly relying on divisive political strategies instead of addressing the country’s major challenges, including insecurity and economic hardship.

The party further recalled the controversy surrounding the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 election, alleging that religious sentiments were being used to deepen divisions among Nigerians.

Baba-Ahmed maintained that the country’s economic difficulties affected citizens regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.

He called on Nigerians to recognise what he described as attempts to divide the population for political advantage, insisting that opposition parties must be allowed to operate freely and participate in the democratic process.

With the 2027 presidential election approaching, the comments from the APC, APM and PRP reflect growing political competition as parties intensify campaigns and seek to secure support across the country.