Bashir Ahmad, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former presidential aide, has called on President Bola Tinubu to redeploy his cabinet members to their home states to strengthen grassroots support ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a tweet on Tuesday, October 13, Ahmad argued that direct engagement between ministers and ordinary citizens in their respective states could help communicate the administration's achievements more effectively.
Ahmad's Case for Ministerial Deployment
In his post, Ahmad said town hall meetings and face-to-face interactions with constituents were essential tools that ministers should be using to push the President's agenda at the local level. He wrote: "I strongly believe that President Bola Tinubu should consider deploying his cabinet members back to their respective states to intensify grassroots engagement, interact directly with the electorate and properly communicate the achievements, policies and vision of his administration."
Ahmad added that every minister bore a personal duty to build stronger backing for the President within their state of origin. "Every minister should take responsibility for building stronger support for the President in their home state through town hall meetings and direct engagement with citizens," he said. He summed up his position with a direct charge: "Let every minister win his or her state for the President."
Grassroots Politics at the Centre of APC Strategy
The call from Ahmad reflects a growing conversation within the ruling party about how best to consolidate political ground ahead of the 2027 general elections. By pushing for ministers to return to their bases, Ahmad appears to be nudging the administration towards a more decentralised approach to public communication, one that puts familiar faces in front of local communities rather than relying solely on federal-level messaging.
Ahmad served as a presidential aide under former President Muhammadu Buhari before becoming an active voice within APC circles on matters of party strategy and governance.
Shettima Woos Northern Elders for Tinubu
Legit.ng earlier reported that Vice President Kashim Shettima received a delegation from Arewa for President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock on Monday, October 12, 2026. Shettima pointed to the Bank of Agriculture's N450 billion disbursement to 700,000 farmers, saying about 70% of beneficiaries are northerners. Ibrahim Shekarau, who chairs the group's Board of Trustees, said the organisation plans to open a secretariat to coordinate its 2027 campaign efforts.
