The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared the joint presidential ticket of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima as the most formidable in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Addressing thousands of party supporters during a massive nationwide mobilization rally on Saturday afternoon, November 7, 2026, at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, Yilwatda urged Nigerians across political divides to unite behind the pair for re-election in the 2027 general elections to ensure continuity in the country’s ongoing economic transformation.
The high-profile event, organized under the auspices of the Rainbow Coalition, drew an estimated crowd of over 70,000 party faithful, political stakeholders, and coalition partners from across Rivers State and the broader South-South region.
High-level party dignitaries attended the gathering, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Chief Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara, alongside several South-South governors.
Details of the proceedings were confirmed in statements by Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy to the APC National Chairman, and Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President).
Speaking at the podium, Professor Yilwatda emphasized that the ruling party’s ticket embodies the courage, political experience, and tested vision needed to guide the nation toward lasting stability.
“The most formidable presidential ticket we have ever produced in Nigeria is the Tinubu-Shettima ticket,” Yilwatda declared to the cheering crowd. “We have a candidate in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is fearless, courageous, and determined to confront the challenges of our country. He has demonstrated the capacity to take difficult decisions in the national interest, and he has remained resolute in pursuing the transformation of Nigeria.”
Defending the administration’s economic trajectory, the APC chief acknowledged that the President inherited severe fiscal constraints, including an unsustainable fuel subsidy regime and mounting national debt.
He described key policy shifts, such as the unification of foreign exchange windows and the removal of fuel subsidies, as imperative structural interventions required to rescue the economy from collapse.
Although acknowledging the temporary economic friction these reforms have placed on households, Yilwatda assured the public that ongoing social intervention initiatives, targeted stabilisation packages, and major highway infrastructure projects would yield sustained long-term benefits.
Turning to local politics, Yilwatda praised the cross-party realignment taking place in Rivers State under the Rainbow Coalition. He expressed strong confidence that the combined political influence of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara would make Rivers State a key anchor for the APC’s presidential campaign.
“Come 2027, we want to continue with this reformer and performer as our President,” Yilwatda said. “With the mobilization capacity of the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike, and other political leaders and stakeholders, we are confident that Rivers will deliver maximum votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The rally forms part of the APC’s early nationwide consolidation effort aimed at strengthening grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
