Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, on Friday, 22 May, 2026, formally presented the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mustapha Gubio, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
During the meeting, Zulum praised President Tinubu’s commitment to restoring peace, rebuilding communities devastated by insurgency and supporting development efforts across Nigeria’s Northeast.
The Governor said the President’s leadership has strengthened cohesion within the APC and sustained momentum in the region’s recovery efforts, particularly in states affected by years of attacks by insurgent groups.
“The President’s commitment to peace and reconstruction in the Northeast has been unwavering,” Zulum said, noting that federal interventions in security, humanitarian support and infrastructure development have continued to bring hope to affected communities.
Zulum was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by member of the House of Representatives, Bukar Talba.
The presentation of Gubio comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections and is widely seen as a major step in consolidating the APC’s political structure in Borno State, one of the party’s strongest support bases in the North-East.
Gubio, a former commissioner and technocrat, recently emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Borno, succeeding other aspirants in the party’s internal selection process. His emergence has attracted significant attention within political circles, especially given Governor Zulum’s influence in the state and his administration’s focus on post-insurgency reconstruction, resettlement of displaced persons and rebuilding of critical infrastructure.
Since assuming office in 2019, Zulum has gained national recognition for his hands-on leadership style, particularly his frequent visits to conflict-affected communities and efforts to improve education, healthcare and security coordination in Borno State.
Borno remains one of the states most impacted by over a decade of insurgency in the Northeast, with thousands killed and millions displaced. However, recent years have witnessed gradual reconstruction and resettlement efforts led by both the state and federal governments.
