2027 Election: Bwala Questions Peter Obi’s NDC Campaign Team, Raises Concerns Over Media Influence
2027 Election: Bwala Questions Peter Obi’s NDC Campaign Team, Raises Concerns Over Media Influence
By Akin Alade
The battle for political relevance ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election has taken another dimension as Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Communication, criticised the newly unveiled National Campaign Council of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), raising questions about the composition of the opposition party’s campaign machinery.
Bwala, reacting to the list released by the NDC on Sunday, October 25, 2026, alleged that the campaign council was dominated by content creators rather than the kind of political operators he appeared to expect. His remarks have brought renewed attention to the growing influence of social media personalities, digital campaigners and political communicators in Nigeria’s electoral activities.
In a post on his verified X account, the presidential aide wrote that Peter Obi and the NDC had unveiled a campaign council which, in his assessment, was filled with content creators. He further alleged that the opposition party deliberately avoided identifying certain media personalities whom he accused of operating as political surrogates while presenting themselves as independent broadcasters.
The controversy followed the NDC’s announcement of its National Campaign Council, headed by former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, as chairman, with former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate, Peter Obi, serving as co-chairman. Former Kano State Governor and vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was appointed co-vice-chairman.
Other officials announced by the party include its National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, as vice-chairman; National Secretary, Barrister Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, as council secretary; and Mallam Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkarim as director-general. The party explained that the appointments were intended to strengthen coordination, political mobilisation and strategic communication ahead of the general elections.
Beyond the criticism of individual appointments, Bwala’s comments have drawn attention to the relationship between political communication and electoral organisation in Nigeria. Digital platforms have increasingly become important channels through which political parties communicate their programmes, respond to opponents and engage citizens, particularly younger voters.
However, the presidential aide’s allegation concerning unnamed media surrogates remains an accusation rather than an established finding. He did not publicly identify the broadcasters involved or provide specific evidence in the reported remarks to substantiate his claim that they were secretly working for the opposition party.
The NDC, in announcing the council, maintained that its campaign would be people-centred and issue-based, with emphasis on nationwide mobilisation and its stated vision for a more prosperous Nigeria. The party said the campaign leadership would coordinate political activities and communicate its proposals to Nigerians across the federation.
The disagreement also highlights an emerging issue in the 2027 political contest: whether the prominence of online campaign personalities should be viewed as a weakness in traditional political organisation or as part of the changing methods through which political parties communicate with the electorate. The effectiveness of either approach will depend on how campaign structures operate beyond online engagement.
As political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, attention is expected to remain on the composition of campaign organisations, the transparency of political communication and the policy programmes presented to voters. Bwala’s criticism adds to the exchanges between the Presidency and the opposition, while leaving the NDC’s actual campaign performance to be assessed through its activities and public engagements.
