Darlington Agomuo has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to launch his 2027 re-election campaign in Kaduna as one of the biggest political mistakes the president has made, arguing that the event exposed the growing frustration among Nigerians over hunger and the rising cost of living.
Speaking against the backdrop of the APC presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna on October 24, Agomuo’s criticism centres on what he sees as a serious disconnect between the message the government wanted to deliver and the concerns expressed by ordinary Nigerians at the gathering.
The Kaduna rally was intended to demonstrate the strength of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and provide a platform for Tinubu to formally seek a second term. Thousands of supporters gathered at the venue as the president appealed to Nigerians to re-elect him in the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
However, the event quickly became controversial because of the reactions from sections of the crowd.
According to reports, the atmosphere included chants interpreted as expressions of dissatisfaction, with some attendees reportedly shouting “Ba mu yi,” meaning “we did not do it,” while criticism also emerged over the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
It was against this background that Agomuo questioned the wisdom of choosing Kaduna for such a politically significant campaign launch.
His argument is essentially that when a government is confronted with widespread complaints about hunger, poverty and economic hardship, the most important task should be to directly acknowledge those concerns and explain how they will be addressed, rather than allowing the political conversation to shift elsewhere.
At the rally, Tinubu acknowledged the issues of hunger and poverty but blamed previous administrations and opposition politicians for creating them. “They created the hunger. They created the poverty we are trying to eradicate,” the president said.
Tinubu also defended his administration’s economic policies, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that the policy was necessary to eliminate corruption, smuggling and waste while putting the country on a path toward economic recovery.
But the economic consequences of the reforms remain a major political challenge for the administration. Reuters reported that petrol prices had risen to about ₦1,400–₦1,500 per litre in September, while the reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the naira devaluation, have contributed to severe cost-of-living pressures despite improvements in some government financial indicators.
That tension is likely to remain central to the 2027 election.
For Agomuo, therefore, the significance of Kaduna was not simply where Tinubu chose to flag off his campaign, but what the event symbolised. A campaign rally is expected to project confidence, popular support and a compelling message for voters. Yet when economic hardship becomes louder than political promises, it can create an uncomfortable picture for an incumbent seeking another mandate.
The criticism also reflects a broader political debate over whether Nigerians should judge the Tinubu administration primarily by its economic reforms and longer-term objectives or by the immediate impact those policies have had on household finances.
Tinubu insists that the reforms are laying the foundation for prosperity, growth, recovery and opportunity, and has promised Nigerians a more prosperous second term.
Opposition figures, however, argue that the president cannot continue attributing current hardship to those who previously governed the country. Atiku Abubakar, for example, described Tinubu’s attempt to blame the opposition for hunger as an effort to avoid responsibility for the economic difficulties Nigerians are experiencing.
Ultimately, Agomuo’s position raises a politically sensitive question: when Nigerians are openly expressing frustration over hunger and hardship, should an incumbent campaign focus on defending the past—or convincing voters that their immediate future will be better?
That question may prove far more important than the location of the campaign flag-off itself as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 presidential election.
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