Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday declared that Nigeria has passed the most difficult stage of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, arguing that a second term for the government would shift focus from painful adjustment to delivering tangible gains.
The Vice President stated this during the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 presidential and governorship election campaign in Cross River State.
Speaking at the rally in Calabar, Shettima described the administration’s subsidy removal, exchange-rate unification and fiscal reforms as a completed reset that has stabilized the economy, and cast the next phase as one of “harvest” for households and businesses.
The government has pointed to improving indicators: real gross domestic product grew 4.43% in the second quarter of 2026, while inflation slowed to 14.63% in September from 20.98% a year earlier, according to figures cited by the presidency.
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication Stanley Nkwocha in a statement quoted Shettima as saying, “We have rescued the economy, and the road ahead is one of harvest.”
“This second term is one of harvest, for you and all Nigerians.”
The Vice President asked voters to renew the mandates of Tinubu and himself, as well as those of Cross River Governor Bassey Otu and Deputy Governor Peter Odey.
He argued that opposition parties lack a credible plan to sustain the administration’s economic direction.
According to Shettima, the government would remain accountable despite seeking another term.
“Citizens should never have to surrender their questions to demonstrate support,” he said.
Vice President Shettima also positioned Cross River as a central beneficiary of the federal infrastructure agenda, citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the approved Bakassi Deep Sea Port and a proposal to host the Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat in Calabar.
He said the coastal highway would link communities, reduce transport costs, expand tourism, draw investors and create direct and indirect employment.
The Bakassi port, he added, is intended to become an international maritime gateway that could attract shipping lines and stimulate industrial activity.
The Federal Government also recognizes Cross River’s claims in a long-running dispute over 46 oil wells, Shettima said, pledging to pursue a resolution that could strengthen the state’s access to maritime investment and potential derivation benefits.
Shettima also highlighted student-loan disbursements under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, saying the program was intended to prevent young Nigerians from abandoning higher education because of financial constraints.
He linked it to the administration’s broader education agenda, including foundational learning, teacher development and school-management reforms.
APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda urged Cross River voters to back the party at every level, citing the deep-sea port, the revival of Calabar port and the Trans-Sahara Superhighway as reasons to support Tinubu’s re-election.
Governor Otu praised the president’s willingness to undertake difficult reforms, saying their benefits were already emerging in agriculture, education, industry and security. Campaign Director-General Sen. Abdulaziz Yari dismissed suggestions that northern Nigeria would withhold support from Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
Earlier, Vice President Shettima visited the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu, to seek the traditional ruler’s backing and present the party’s 2027 ambitions.
The monarch praised the administration for pursuing reforms with long-term benefits, while urging unity among the state’s political and traditional leaders.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the governors of Akwa Ibom, Edo and Imo states attended the rally, alongside APC campaign officials and party leaders from Cross River and the South-South region.
