The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has what it takes to win in Northern Nigeria, insisting that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has recorded tangible enhancements throughout key sectors.
Pate additionally claimed that 18 of the 19 northern states had been aligned with the APC, with Bauchi being the exception, whereas expressing optimism that the ruling occasion would safe vital assist within the area forward of the 2027 normal elections.
The minister made the remarks throughout an look on Arise News Prime Time on Wednesday night time, the place he dismissed considerations concerning the APC’s political prospects within the North, describing adverse assessments of the occasion’s standing as a slim narrative largely pushed by social media and elite circles.
He stated, “It’s a narrative. It’s a very narrow narrative. It’s largely on the social media and among elite circles.”
Responding to the interviewer’s reference to a newspaper evaluation of the political scenario, Pate argued that many peculiar Nigerians in rural communities had been unaware of such stories however had been starting to see the affect of the administration’s insurance policies.
“I can assure you that the people in many villages in northern Nigeria have not read ThisDay and its report. And the people on the ground have seen and are seeing the giant strides, but also the sacrifices that President Tinubu has led us to do. And they’re beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel,” he stated.
The minister maintained that the APC may win by way of grassroots mobilisation and efficient organisation on the polling unit, ward and native authorities ranges.
“Forget about the narrow narrative. I believe APC has what it takes to work hard at the polling unit, at the ward level, in local government, to get out the votes and win fair and square,” Pate stated.
Speaking particularly about Bauchi State, he described the APC as the most important political occasion within the state, claiming that members of the ruling occasion had been defecting to the opposition occasion.
“In Bauchi, for instance, APC is by far the largest party. And every day, including in last 24 hours, you hear the ruling party in the state losing votes from its executive council,” he stated.
Pate added {that a} member of the state House of Assembly had knowledgeable him of plans to hitch the APC, whereas citing a current by-election victory as proof of the occasion’s rising political energy.
However, the interviewer challenged the minister’s argument, noting that the considerations of peculiar Nigerians prolonged past political alignments and newspaper assessments to the rising value of dwelling and the power of households to afford fundamental requirements.
In response, Pate argued that Nigerians had been starting to expertise enhancements following the financial difficulties related to the removing of the gasoline subsidy and the devaluation of the naira.
“What I’m saying to you is that there are tangible improvements,” he stated.
He added, “Three years ago, there was all hue and cry, forced removal of subsidies, on devaluation, on food prices. Those facts abated, and folks have begun to see, even on the security issue, it abated compared to where it was.”
The minister acknowledged that safety challenges had not been fully resolved however credited Tinubu with confronting the scenario and pursuing options.
“Not completely resolved, wasn’t forced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but he took it head-on and has been able to provide solutions,” he stated.
Pate additional defended the administration’s efficiency by highlighting its interventions in schooling, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure, arguing that the insurance policies had produced tangible advantages for Nigerians.
He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which supplies monetary assist to eligible college students, alongside healthcare initiatives geared toward increasing entry to medical providers.
“Take NELFUND. Take the hundreds and thousands, more than millions of students and their families, not only who have benefited, but a spooky line of sight that wasn’t there before,” he stated.
On healthcare, the minister highlighted the federal government’s efforts to broaden entry to maternal healthcare, strengthen major healthcare centres and improve medical health insurance protection.
“See what he’s done in health. More than 80,000 caesarean sections conducted. See the thousands of primary health care centres revitalised. The seven million additional folks who have had insurance,” he stated.
He additionally cited the vaccination of greater than 109 million kids aged zero to 9 in 2025, enhancements in maternal mortality information and the institution of most cancers remedy centres in Benin, Enugu and Katsina.
According to Pate, the administration’s investments in healthcare infrastructure, schooling, agriculture and assist for small and medium-sized enterprises would strengthen public confidence within the ruling occasion.
He expressed optimism that the APC’s grassroots mobilisation and file in authorities would translate into electoral assist within the North.
“We’re confident that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be leading the fair and square and the north will back him up because we do know various segments of northern society, not the few, that have particular reasons because they are, of course, angling for power,” he stated.
Pate acknowledged that political opponents had respectable ambitions in a democracy however insisted that Tinubu would carry out strongly within the area.
“But the President, we think, will do very well in the north and will work hard to ensure that he does well,” he added.
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