NEWS
“I Feel For President Tinubu” — Rufai Oseni Says, Slams Kaduna Campaign Speech, Questions President’s Aides
Arise Television Morning Show anchor, Rufai Oseni, has expressed sympathy for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following his performance at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Kaduna State, describing the president’s speech as one of the worst campaign addresses he has ever heard.
Oseni, who spoke on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, October 26, 2026, questioned the preparedness of Tinubu’s campaign team, arguing that the president’s aides had failed to adequately prepare him for his first campaign outing ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The broadcaster expressed concern that Tinubu, after nearly four years in office, had failed to use the campaign platform to deliver a compelling defence of his administration’s policies, explain its achievements and present a clear message to Nigerians as he seeks another term in office.
Reacting to the president’s performance at the Kaduna rally, Oseni said the speech was so disappointing that Tinubu would have been better off not campaigning in the state if he was going to deliver such an address.
“I think that was the worst campaign speech I’ve ever heard in my life by President Tinubu.
“I think it was best he should not have even campaigned in Kaduna, because that was a terrible one for the eyes and for the ears,” he said.
Oseni’s criticism centred not only on the president’s delivery but also on the role of the people responsible for preparing his campaign speeches. He argued that the president’s team should have provided him with a well-structured, concise and persuasive address capable of communicating the administration’s record and defending its policies before the electorate.
According to the broadcaster, a five-minute speech outlining the government’s major achievements, explaining its economic decisions and addressing the concerns of Nigerians would have been sufficient to give the president a stronger start to his re-election campaign.
He questioned why members of the president’s campaign council had allowed him to deliver what he described as a disjointed and poorly coordinated speech at such a crucial moment in the build-up to the 2027 elections.
Expressing frustration with the president’s aides, Oseni suggested that those entrusted with managing the campaign might be more interested in financial benefits than in ensuring that Tinubu receives the strategic support necessary to communicate effectively with Nigerians.
“What is wrong with you guys? Is this how much you are so concerned about just collecting money from him?” Oseni asked.
The Arise Television anchor also faulted the president’s handling of sensitive national issues, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the economic hardship that Nigerians have experienced amid rising living costs.
He criticised Tinubu’s remarks concerning the subsidy removal and his attempt to blame opposition parties for the poverty and hunger confronting citizens, arguing that the president should have used the occasion to explain his administration’s policies and directly address public concerns.
Oseni maintained that a presidential campaign speech should provide clarity about the administration’s direction, demonstrate an understanding of the challenges facing the country and present convincing reasons why voters should support another term.
Instead, he argued, Tinubu’s address lacked the structure, coherence and ideological direction expected of a president defending his record after almost four years in office.
The broadcaster further questioned why the president had been left to improvise during such a significant political appearance, insisting that the campaign team should have anticipated the importance of the occasion and ensured that the speech was properly prepared.
“You just allow a man like that to ad lib at his inaugural campaign speech after four years in office, where he needs to make a great defence, what did you guys do to him?” he said.
Oseni’s remarks underscored his view that the president’s campaign team had a responsibility to protect Tinubu from avoidable communication failures, particularly as the APC begins efforts to persuade Nigerians to support his re-election bid in 2027.
He argued that the president needed a stronger communications strategy capable of presenting the administration’s policies in a clear and compelling manner, rather than leaving him to deliver an address that could attract criticism and distract from the campaign’s central message.
Concluding his assessment, Oseni reiterated his sympathy for the president, maintaining that those responsible for preparing and coordinating the campaign had failed to provide the necessary support ahead of the high-profile rally.
“I feel for Presiden
t Tinubu this morning,” Oseni added.