By Cross Udo, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared that voters, not digital influence, determine political victories in Nigeria, warning opposition elements and party loyalists against mistaking social media traction for electoral success.
“Elections are not conducted on social media platforms. Nigerians conduct elections,” Tinubu said, as he urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intensify grassroots engagement and counter misinformation ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.
The President, who spoke through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Progressive Governors Forum and Renewed Hope Ambassadors Strategic Summit, 2026, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also moved to address internal divisions within the ruling party.
In a direct intervention, Tinubu asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to reconcile with Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to preserve party unity in the state.
Appealing for cooperation, Tinubu said, “Let’s build the area together,” in remarks widely seen as an effort to defuse tensions threatening the APC’s political structure in Benue.
The dispute between Akume and Alia has polarised the party in the state, with disagreements over party leadership structures, political appointments, and control of grassroots machinery raising concerns about cohesion ahead of future elections.
Beyond party unity, Tinubu used the summit to signal a shift in his administration’s economic direction, declaring that Nigeria was moving from a phase of stabilisation to one of accelerated growth.
He said reforms undertaken since 2023 had begun to restore economic stability and investor confidence.
“Our economy is picking up. Major investment decisions across Africa increasingly favour Nigeria. That reflects renewed confidence in our direction,” the President said.
Tinubu disclosed that the proposed N58.18 trillion 2026 budget would prioritise capital investment, security and tax reforms designed to expand government revenues while protecting vulnerable citizens.
He emphasised that sustaining the reform programme would require political mobilisation and public engagement, urging party members to take the government’s message directly to communities.
“This mission is about presence, truth and trust,” he said, warning that public perception and grassroots acceptance would ultimately determine political success.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, in his remarks, called on state governments to strengthen performance tracking and align with federal reform priorities.
“Governance must move from policy pronouncements to measurable outcomes,” Akume said.
On the legislative side, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, assured of continued National Assembly support for the administration’s reforms.
He said fiscal restructuring, subsidy removal and tax reforms were necessary steps toward economic recovery, but stressed the need for transparency and public accountability.
Tinubu’s intervention in the Benue dispute and his warning on electoral realities were widely interpreted by political observers as part of broader efforts to consolidate APC unity and strengthen its political base ahead of the next general elections.
