Professor Pat Utomi, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to visit every state capital and selected rural communities to engage directly with Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general election.
Utomi urged the president to demonstrate his commitment to the people by meeting citizens face to face rather than staying away from campaign activities.
He also called on Tinubu to participate in debates alongside other presidential contenders, stressing that public policy discussions are essential to democratic accountability.
“If you cannot stand side by side with somebody contesting for the same position and engage in policy discussion, then you are being totally dishonest to the people you are offering to serve,” Utomi said.
He added, “If President Tinubu cares about the Nigerian people, he should stand in every state capital and some rural areas and shake hands with the people.”
The challenge comes after Tinubu reportedly announced during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress campaign council in Abuja on Thursday that he would skip some campaign visits to states.
According to reports, the president plans to visit only 12 states, leaving governors and members of the campaign council to coordinate activities in the remaining states.
The reported decision has drawn criticism from opposition figures, some of whom have questioned whether Tinubu intends to engage directly with voters during the campaign.
Others have linked the reported plan to concerns about public dissatisfaction over the country’s economic difficulties and their impact on living standards.
Utomi’s comments have added to calls for presidential candidates to engage voters directly and explain their policies as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
