A former Special Adviser to the President on Political Affars, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali has said that a visit to the Kolmani Oil Field by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be a strategic political move as the country builds momentum towards the 2027 General Elections
Alkali said this in a statement he issued to journalists on Tuesday.
He said “President Tinubu’s visit to the Kolmani Oil Field will undoubtedly send a strong signal of the Administration’s Northern outreach based on tangible economic policy thrust. This will also reassure the communities that their President has not forgotten them.”
According to Alkali, the Kolmani Oil Project represents a potential economic transformation for the North East and its successful execution holds huge promise of generating employment for the youths, assuring of energy security, and infrastructural development for a region.
Read below Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali’s full statement titled “When will President Tinubu visit the Kolmani Oil Field?”
As Nigeria gradually builds momentum towards the 2027 General Elections, it is becoming increasingly clear that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must recalibrate his political strategy, particularly in key regions such as the North East.
One project that remains deeply significant -and practically critical- in the region is the Kolmani Oil Field, situated along the boundary between Gombe and Bauchi States.
The Kolmani Oil Project, launched with high expectations and fanfare, represents not only a potential economic transformation for the North East but also a powerful evidence of the inclusion of the North East sub region in national development.
Its successful execution holds huge promise of generating employment for the youths, assuring of energy security, and infrastructural development for a region historically marginalized in Nigeria’s petroleum Industry.
In view of the strategic nature of the Kolmani Oil Field, many stakeholders and citizens in the North East are asking a critical question: When will President Tinubu visit the site? This question is not rooted in mere sentiment – it stems from a desire for visible, committed leadership.
A presidential visit to Kolmani would further demonstrate continuity of purpose, reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to the region, and inject renewed momentum into the project, which many fear, is stagnating.
More than just a photo opportunity, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s physical presence at Kolmani would be a strategic political move, particularly at this point in time, when the political environment is being heated up.
President Tinubu’s visit to the Kolmani Oil Field will undoubtedly send a strong signal of the Administration’s Northern outreach based on tangible economic policy thrust. This will also reassure the communities that their President has not forgotten them.
In an era where political capital is increasingly tied to performance and presence, such Presidential acts carry huge strategic weight. The Kolmani Oil Field is not just an oil site-it is a litmus test of the government’s commitment in delivering equitable development across the regions.
As 2027 approaches, the North East will weigh words against action. President Tinubu still has time -and the opportunity- to write a special chapter of inclusion, by showing up where it matters most, at the time it matters most.
So we ask again: When will President Tinubu visit the Kolmani Oil Field?
Prof Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali
Former Special Adviser to the President on Political Affars
