Vice President Kashim Shettima has acknowledged the hardship Nigerians are facing as a result of the Federal Government’s economic reforms but appealed to voters to re-elect President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Shettima made the appeal at the APC presidential campaign rally at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, where he defended the administration’s policies, arguing that their benefits were beginning to emerge despite the difficulties they had imposed on citizens.
He compared Tinubu’s approach to the leadership of Singapore’s former Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, saying difficult decisions were sometimes necessary to achieve long-term national development.
The Vice President urged Nigerians to assess the administration’s performance against the economic situation it inherited in 2023, insisting that the reforms should be given more time to produce results.
He also appealed to Cross River voters to support the re-election of Tinubu, Governor Bassey Otu, Deputy Governor Peter Odey and APC candidates contesting legislative seats in 2027.
Governor Otu, who also addressed the rally, highlighted federal infrastructure projects expected to benefit Cross River, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport and the proposed Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat in Calabar.
He said the projects could improve transportation, attract investments and create employment opportunities, while urging residents to support the APC at all levels in the next general elections.
Otu also cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as one of the Federal Government’s interventions that could ease the financial burden of tertiary education on families.
The rally was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, members of the National Assembly, APC governors, party officials and other political stakeholders.