2027: Tinubu Orders Review of APC Campaign Council as Omissions Spark Criticism
2027: Tinubu Orders Review of APC Campaign Council as Omissions Spark Criticism
By Akin Alade
Barely 48 hours after the unveiling of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general election, the composition of the campaign structure has generated controversy within political circles, following the omission of several experienced campaigners and influential party figures.
Reports indicate that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed a review of the campaign council amid concerns over hierarchy, geographical representation and the political structure of the ruling party. Vanguard also reported that the initial composition had generated concerns over the representation of key stakeholders.
The development could represent an early test of the APC’s ability to manage competing interests as it prepares for the 2027 presidential election.
The campaign council announced on Saturday placed President Tinubu as chairman, with Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda serving as vice chairmen. Former Zamfara State Governor Senator Abdul’aziz Yari was named Director-General, while Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma was appointed secretary.
Omissions Raise Questions Within APC
Attention quickly shifted from those appointed to prominent political figures missing from the initial list.
Among those identified as absent are Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo; former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong; National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello; and former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode.
Their absence attracted attention largely because several played visible roles in previous APC presidential campaigns.
Keyamo was Chief Spokesperson and Director of Public Affairs of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council in 2023, while Lalong served as Director-General of that campaign. Fani-Kayode was also involved in the 2023 campaign’s media operations.
The controversy therefore raises a broader political question: Can the APC afford to leave experienced campaigners and grassroots mobilisers outside its central campaign structure at a time when every political bloc could matter?
Tinubu Moves to Address Concerns
The reported decision to review the list may be interpreted as an attempt to address grievances early rather than allow disagreements over appointments to develop into deeper internal divisions.
Reports on Monday said Tinubu had ordered the withdrawal and reconstitution of the council following concerns surrounding some of the omissions.
The move also highlights the complexity of building a nationwide presidential campaign organisation involving serving governors, former governors, ministers, lawmakers, party executives, political strategists and grassroots leaders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
With the APC seeking another presidential victory, political calculations are likely to extend beyond big names to the ability of individual politicians to mobilise voters and deliver their wards, local governments and states.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who is not an APC member and was not included in the council, has argued that membership of a campaign council does not necessarily determine a politician’s electoral value. He said the more important test is the ability to deliver votes at state, local government and ward levels.
2027 Battle May Require Broader Political Inclusion
The controversy surrounding the initial campaign council offers an important lesson for the ruling party ahead of what is expected to be a highly competitive election.
Presidential campaigns are not won by names on a committee alone. They require reconciliation, grassroots mobilisation, communication, regional balance and the ability to bring different political interests under one umbrella.
For Tinubu, himself regarded as an experienced political strategist, reviewing the campaign structure could provide an opportunity to accommodate additional stakeholders and ensure that experienced hands are not unnecessarily alienated before the main campaign battle begins.
The initial list already brought together senior APC figures and assigned responsibilities across mobilisation, legal, media and other campaign functions.
However, the reaction following its release shows that managing internal expectations could become almost as important as confronting opposition parties.
As Nigerians await a revised or expanded campaign structure, attention will be on whether the omitted political heavyweights return and whether the changes are sufficient to calm concerns within the ruling party.
For the APC, the message from the controversy appears straightforward: building a winning 2027 campaign may require not only experienced strategists at the top but also an inclusive structure capable of carrying every significant political bloc along.
