Nigeria's Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has set a target of 10 million votes from the country's education sector for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. Alausa made this commitment at the inaugural meeting of the APC Presidential Campaign Committee Education Sector Mobilisation Working Group. He urged members to mobilize students, teachers, lecturers, education administrators, and other stakeholders across the country in support of the President's re-election bid.
Alausa emphasized the importance of continuity in the country's reform process, citing the need to sustain and fully implement ongoing reforms in the education sector and the wider economy. He argued that a second term for Tinubu would provide the administration with the opportunity to consolidate its achievements, deepen reforms, strengthen the economy, attract investment, and expand opportunities for Nigerians.
The Minister highlighted the education sector's crucial role in supporting policies aimed at improving human capital development and driving sustainable national economic growth. He directed members of the Working Group to mobilize their respective constituencies and develop broad-based support for the President ahead of the 2027 election. The Working Group is chaired by Alausa, with the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, serving as Deputy Chairman.
The Working Group comprises various stakeholders, including Comr. Sunday Asefon, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, and Dr. Ronke Soyombo, Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. Other members include Prof. Muhammad Dahiru Shuni, Executive Secretary, National Mass Education Commission, and Prof. Salisu Shehu, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.
To ensure wider coordination, the committee has created sub-groups covering universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, teachers, governing councils, Senior Special Assistants on Education, TVET, counsellors, and other critical stakeholder groups. Presidential appointees within the education sector are also expected to work with the core committee and the various sub-groups to coordinate mobilisation activities across the country.
Alausa urged members of the Working Group to demonstrate commitment, teamwork, and sustained engagement to achieve the 10-million-vote target. He reaffirmed his commitment to Tinubu's re-election, saying he would personally drive the education sector's campaign effort and work with established structures to pursue the target. The Minister emphasized that the broader goal was to sustain the reform process and promote a Nigeria with stronger human capital and greater economic opportunities.
The Minister's efforts aim to convert the extensive nationwide presence of the education sector into a coordinated electoral mobilisation capable of producing a significant vote bloc for Tinubu. With the education sector's extensive reach, Alausa is optimistic that the 10-million-vote target can be achieved through collective efforts from stakeholders across the sector.
Key points
- The Nigerian education sector is being mobilized to support President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid, with a target of 10 million votes.
- The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, will personally lead efforts to mobilize the education sector in support of Tinubu's re-election.
- The education sector's mobilisation efforts aim to sustain the country's reform process and promote a Nigeria with stronger human capital and greater economic opportunities.
