KANO, October 22, 2026. Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has assured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of strong support from Kano residents in the 2027 general election, saying the electorate will back the President’s second-term bid to sustain ongoing development projects, particularly federal road infrastructure across northern Nigeria.
Yusuf gave the assurance on Wednesday while representing Tinubu at the commissioning of a section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway at Tamburawa, Kano State.
The governor praised the Federal Government’s infrastructure investments, describing the highway as an important link expected to improve transport connections across the North and ease movement between major commercial centres.,
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The governor also argued that several projects undertaken by the Tinubu administration had received insufficient public attention, suggesting that the government’s record on infrastructure deserved greater recognition.
“I have seen many projects the President has executed that have not been publicised. I could go on and on listing the projects and initiatives of this administration,” Yusuf said.
He expressed confidence that voters in Kano and other parts of the country would support Tinubu in the next presidential election.
“The people of Kano will come out en masse to vote for President Tinubu, not only in Kano but across the North-West, the South and the country at large, to ensure the continuation of his development projects,” the governor added.
Yusuf’s declaration places Kano at the centre of the political conversation ahead of 2027, particularly because of the state’s substantial electorate and its decisive role in northern Nigerian politics.
However, the prospect of a strong APC performance in Kano presents a significant electoral challenge. In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu secured 517,341 votes in the state, finishing behind NNPP candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who won 997,279 votes.
The result gave Kwankwaso a margin of 479,938 votes over Tinubu.
The figures provide important context for Yusuf’s latest assurance. While the governor has expressed confidence in Tinubu’s prospects, the 2023 result shows the scale of the support the APC would need to build to overtake its previous performance in the state.
Yusuf’s political position also gives the pledge added significance. His assurance signals support for Tinubu’s re-election campaign, while the extent to which that declaration translates into votes will depend on voter sentiment, party mobilisation, local political alliances and the administration’s record in the months leading up to the election.
The commissioning ceremony also featured remarks by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who defended the Federal Government’s economic reforms and argued that the country was beginning to move beyond its most difficult period of economic adjustment.
“The reforms have started to yield dividends of democracy. Even in the darkest hour before dawn, there is hope. Let us support President Bola Tinubu,” Umahi said.
The minister pointed to ongoing and completed road projects across Kano and the wider North-West as evidence of the administration’s infrastructure programme.
He said the Federal Government was continuing projects inherited from the late President Muhammadu Buhari, while making adjustments to some schemes to improve their construction specifications.
“There is no project started by the late President Buhari that President Bola Tinubu is not doing in the North,” Umahi said.
Among the projects he listed were the Kano Northern Bypass, Kano Ring Road, Kano-Kongolam road and Zaria-Hunkuyi road.
He also cited work on the Sokoto-Zamfara-Zaria road, noting that some inherited projects had been redesigned to incorporate reinforced concrete pavement.
Umahi said the Tinubu administration had completed close to 400 kilometres of roads in the North-West within three years, while approximately 4,000 kilometres of road projects were ongoing across the region.
These figures were presented by the minister at the event and would require project-by-project documentation to establish the precise status and scope of the works.
The Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway is particularly significant because of its potential to strengthen links between the Federal Capital Territory, Kaduna and Kano, a major commercial hub.
Improved road conditions could reduce travel difficulties, support the movement of goods and passengers, and make regional trade more efficient, although the eventual benefits will depend on the quality, completion and maintenance of the infrastructure.
The administration’s economic record remains another important factor in the political debate. Umahi maintained that the reforms were beginning to produce positive results, but his assessment represents the government’s position rather than a settled view of their impact on households and businesses.
The cost of living, employment opportunities, purchasing power and security are likely to remain important considerations for voters as the next election approaches.
For the APC, Kano presents both an opportunity and a test. Tinubu’s 2023 vote total demonstrated that the party had an established base in the state, but the decisive victory recorded by Kwankwaso’s NNPP showed that the APC had considerable ground to recover.
Yusuf’s endorsement could contribute to efforts to broaden Tinubu’s support, particularly if it is followed by sustained political mobilisation and visible improvements in public infrastructure and living conditions. Nevertheless, a governor’s assurance cannot by itself establish how voters will behave at the ballot box.
With the 2027 general election approaching, the government’s infrastructure programme and its wider economic record are likely to feature prominently in arguments for a second Tinubu term.
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Whether those achievements translate into the level of Kano support promised by Yusuf will ultimately be determined by voters.
Peculiar Adirika is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
