Hon. James Faleke, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will secure substantial support from the Middle Belt region in the 2027 presidential election. According to Faleke, the region has benefited significantly from the administration's focus on infrastructure, human-capital development, and industrialization. He cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Badagry-Sokoto highway as examples of projects that will open up economic opportunities and support the blue economy.
The Middle Belt region, comprising about 12 states, has also benefited from the administration's efforts to revive the Ajaokuta steel complex. Faleke described the revival of Ajaokuta as particularly significant to the Middle Belt, given its location in Kogi State and its original linkage with iron ore production at Itakpe and steel rolling mills in various states. The integrated steel project is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs while providing the foundation for industrial production.
Faleke also highlighted the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has benefited over 1.6 million students through tuition support and stipends. He argued that providing young Nigerians with access to education and skills will improve their prospects of becoming productive members of the economy. The lawmaker emphasized that the impact of such programs should be measured over the long term, rather than only within the lifespan of an administration.
The Progressive Middle-Belt Congress has announced an 11-million-vote target for Tinubu, with a strategy to deploy grassroots mobilization to translate support for the administration into votes. Director-General and Convener of the group, Halidu Omale, said the target is achievable through door-to-door and household engagement across the wider Middle Belt, covering about 12 states. The group will also use the administration's appointments as part of its campaign message.
According to Omale, about 16 percent of federal appointments have gone to people from the North-Central and Middle Belt. He cited several notable appointments, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. The appointments, alongside government policies and development programs, will form part of the issues the group will take to voters.
An APC stakeholder from Kogi State, Hon. Umar Abutu, expressed confidence that stakeholders in the region will deliver substantial support for Tinubu. He acknowledged that the country has not yet reached its desired destination but said another term would allow the administration to consolidate its policies. Abutu emphasized that the administration's reforms and infrastructure projects have strengthened the case for its re-election.
The Progressive Middle-Belt Congress's Board of Trustees Chairman, Pharm. Tairu Shuaibu, said the group's three-day campaign aims to sensitize citizens on the benefits, challenges, and prospects of the Tinubu administration. The campaign, themed "Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria's Developmental Benefits, Challenges, Prospects and the Hope for a New Nigeria," seeks to promote the administration's achievements and build support for its re-election.
Key points
- The Middle Belt region has benefited from the administration's focus on infrastructure, human-capital development, and industrialization.
- The Progressive Middle-Belt Congress has set an 11-million-vote target for Tinubu's 2027 presidential bid.
- The administration's appointments and development programs will form part of the group's campaign message.
