President Bola Tinubu is set to leave much of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s nationwide re-election campaign in the hands of party leaders, with the president scheduled to personally attend rallies in only 12 states, according to the party’s campaign timetable.

The schedule, released ahead of the campaign’s October 24, 2026 kickoff in Kaduna, indicates that Tinubu will skip rallies in more than 20 states as the party mobilises support ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Daily Trust reported that the president’s campaign appearances would be interspersed with rallies led by other party officials, with activities extending into January 2027.

Tinubu has defended the arrangement, saying his responsibilities as president would not allow him to attend every rally. He made the point on Wednesday during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

However, the decision has triggered political criticism, with opposition figures questioning whether the president is avoiding direct engagement with voters over his administration’s performance.

The Allied Peoples Movement urged Tinubu to campaign across all states or withdraw from the presidential race, while former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar accused him of failing to adequately account for his first term before seeking another mandate.

Atiku, through his campaign’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, argued that economic hardship and declining purchasing power had left Nigerians demanding answers from the president.

Despite the criticism, Tinubu has pledged to make time to address Nigerians directly, while APC leaders and campaign council members are expected to fill the gaps in the party’s nationwide mobilisation drive.