TINUBU ORDERS REVIEW OF APC 2027 CAMPAIGN COUNCIL
TINUBU ORDERS REVIEW OF APC 2027 CAMPAIGN COUNCIL
By Olayinka Temilade
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly ordered the withdrawal and reconstitution of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections.
The directive follows controversy over the initial list released by the Presidency on Saturday, which reportedly raised concerns among senior members of the ruling party.
According to a report by TheWill, party stakeholders expressed concerns that the list did not adequately accommodate key members or reflect the party’s hierarchy, geographical spread and political structure.
Sources cited in the report said President Tinubu directed the Presidency, the National Assembly leadership and the APC National Working Committee to review the composition and address the identified gaps before releasing a new list.
The initial campaign council was reportedly headed by former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, as Director-General.
However, the list generated concerns over the exclusion of several prominent party members, including Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. The report also noted concerns over the positioning of some National Assembly leaders in the proposed campaign structure, Senate President Godswill Akpabio was named Deputy Director-General for the Southern campaign, alongside House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, while Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Deputy Senate President Jibril Barau were assigned coordinating roles.
Stakeholders reportedly argued that the new arrangement should better reflect the constitutional hierarchy and ensure proper integration of National Assembly leaders. Other prominent APC members said to have been omitted from the initial list include former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who both played key roles in the party’s 2023 presidential campaign structure.
The sources said the review is expected to produce a broader campaign structure that accommodates major stakeholders ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
