The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has led political leaders and stakeholders from the North-Central region in launching a grassroots mobilisation platform for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The North-Central Grassroots Mobilisation Movement for Tinubu/Shettima 2027 was launched during a strategic meeting held at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja on Friday, October 2, 2026.

The meeting brought together senior government officials, governors, All Progressives Congress leaders and other political stakeholders from the region. The initiative is intended to take political mobilisation beyond Abuja and into communities across the North-Central.

Speaking at the meeting, Akume said the central objective of the movement was to mobilise grassroots support and encourage a strong turnout for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

He said the North-Central was aiming to increase its contribution to Tinubu’s overall vote total, with the movement focusing on political coordination and engagement at the grassroots.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule also backed the initiative, describing it as timely. He argued that the North-Central region is politically better positioned than it was during the 2023 election and pointed to the presence of senior political figures from the region in the Federal Government and APC leadership.

Sule expressed confidence that the region could produce a stronger showing for Tinubu and other APC candidates in 2027. Such statements are political expectations rather than established election outcomes, which will ultimately be determined by voters.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the initiative as a significant mobilisation effort and said structures would be put in place to support its activities ahead of the 2027 general election.

The National Coordinator of the movement, Sonny S.T. Echono, said the platform was created to bring together political leaders, grassroots actors and other stakeholders across the North-Central under a coordinated structure.

Echono said the group's focus had moved beyond simply discussing whether Tinubu could secure support in the region to increasing the number of votes the North-Central could contribute to the presidential ticket.

The mobilisation network covers Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

The group has also outlined activities beyond conventional political rallies. Reports following the meeting said stakeholders agreed to hold a major rally in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on October 10, 2026.

The programme is also expected to include grassroots advocacy tours and town hall meetings across the 19 senatorial districts in the six North-Central states and the FCT. Medical outreach activities, including eye screening and related services, have also been announced as part of the wider programme.

Another component of the plan is the establishment of a reconciliation mechanism to address grievances among APC stakeholders in the region. Reports said the proposed committee would work with party leaders to improve internal coordination and cohesion ahead of the elections.

The development comes as political parties and their supporters intensify preparations for the 2027 elections. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s published timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The North-Central mobilisation effort therefore represents one of the emerging regional campaign structures being developed ahead of the presidential contest. Its stated objective is to coordinate party leaders and grassroots stakeholders while expanding political engagement across communities in the region.

The eventual level of support for any candidate, however, will be determined through the electoral process rather than by campaign organisations' targets or projections.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia