Tinubu Inaugurates 81km Abuja-Kaduna Highway

….Accuses Opposition of Creating Poverty

President Bola Tinubu on Saturday inaugurated the 81-kilometre Abuja-Kaduna section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway, accusing opposition leaders of creating the poverty and hunger they now criticise his administration over.

Tinubu spoke at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off for the 2027 general elections at the Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna State.

“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created the hunger; they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” the President said.

He urged Kaduna residents to renew his mandate in 2027, citing his administration’s investments in critical infrastructure and economic development across the state and the northern region.

Tinubu thanked the people of Kaduna for supporting him in the 2023 presidential election, recalling the state’s historical significance as a political centre of Northern Nigeria.

The highway section was symbolically inaugurated during the rally as part of the virtual commissioning of Lot 1 of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, highlighted infrastructure projects being executed by the Tinubu administration in the North-West and other parts of the country.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, in his remarks, urged Nigerians to support the administration for continuity, citing Tinubu’s commitment to national unity, democratic stability and economic development.

Shettima recalled Tinubu’s support for northern political leaders, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, who won the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections, as well as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu in earlier contests.

He described the relationships as evidence of political loyalty and mutual respect, saying they reinforced the need for national unity.

“We won the last election because you saw the best option before you,” Shettima said, adding that the APC-led administration was committed to improving Kaduna State.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani commended Tinubu for supporting state governments in implementing development programmes, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture and citizens’ welfare.

He also acknowledged the contributions of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to the welfare of women, children and families.

The governor urged APC supporters to guard against misinformation during the electioneering period, particularly misleading social media content and materials allegedly generated using artificial intelligence.

Similarly, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, expressed confidence in the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 elections.

Yari defended the administration’s economic reforms, citing developments in the foreign exchange market, and urged Nigerians to assess the government based on its policies and performance.

He commended Governor Uba Sani, party leaders and other stakeholders for organising the campaign flag-off, while warning supporters against misinformation.

The rally was attended by APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; Shettima; the First Lady; the wife of the Vice-President; APC governors and other party leaders, including former national chairman Abdullahi Adamu and former governor Abdullahi Ganduje.