Tinubu 2027 Campaign Council: APC Reviews Zonal Appointments as Battle for Voters Intensifies
Tinubu 2027 Campaign Council: APC Reviews Zonal Appointments as Battle for Voters Intensifies
By Akin Alade
With the 2027 presidential election drawing closer, leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are facing a crucial task: determining whether the newly assembled campaign structure has the political strength, grassroots reach and strategic balance required to deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a second term.
The party has moved into a more decisive phase of its re-election preparations following the constitution of its Presidential Campaign Council and the appointment of influential political figures to coordinate activities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. President Tinubu chairs the council, Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda are vice chairmen, while former Zamfara State governor Abdulaziz Yari serves as Director-General.
But beyond the impressive names on the list lies the question that may be occupying the minds of APC strategists: Can these appointments actually translate into votes in 2027?
APC Leaders Assess Tinubu’s 2027 Campaign Strategy
The question has become increasingly important as party leaders evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign structure and assess whether those appointed possess sufficient grassroots influence to deliver their respective constituencies.
The APC has appointed Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani as North-West coordinator; Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the South-West; Niger Governor Umar Bago for the North-Central; Cross River Governor Bassey Otu for the South-South; Enugu Governor Peter Mbah for the South-East; and former Borno governor Ali Modu-Sheriff for the North-East.
On paper, the appointments bring together serving governors, experienced politicians and established party structures. Yet elections are not won by political profiles alone. The real test will be whether these leaders can penetrate communities, reconcile aggrieved party members, mobilise undecided voters and convince Nigerians that the Tinubu administration deserves another mandate.
That explains why the coming months could involve continuous evaluation and adjustment of the campaign machinery.
President Tinubu himself appears to recognise that a campaign council cannot accommodate every stakeholder. While unveiling the structure, he encouraged directorate leaders to reach out to party members who were not formally included and bring them into the re-election effort.
That instruction could prove crucial. Political appointments often create winners and disappointed stakeholders, and managing those who feel excluded may be almost as important as selecting those who made the list.
2023 Results Provide APC With Important Lessons
The 2023 presidential election offers a useful guide to understanding why APC cannot afford complacency.
Tinubu won the election with 8,794,726 votes, ahead of Atiku Abubakar’s 6,984,520 and Peter Obi’s 6,101,533. But the regional distribution revealed significant weaknesses alongside APC’s areas of strength.
Tinubu performed strongly in the South-West and maintained an advantage in the North-West, while Atiku dominated the North-East and Obi secured overwhelming support in the South-East and also won the South-South.
The assignments handed to the six zonal coordinators therefore differ significantly.
Sanwo-Olu must protect and potentially expand APC’s traditional South-West base. Uba Sani faces the responsibility of consolidating the North-West, one of Nigeria’s most electorally significant regions.
Modu-Sheriff has the difficult assignment of improving Tinubu’s performance in the North-East, while Peter Mbah faces perhaps an even more challenging political mission in the South-East.
Bassey Otu will be expected to improve APC’s fortunes in the South-South, while Umar Bago must ensure that the ruling party remains competitive across the politically diverse North-Central.
Grassroots Mobilisation May Determine Tinubu’s 2027 Chances
One lesson APC appears to have taken seriously is that presidential elections cannot be fought exclusively from Abuja or through massive rallies.
Already, pro-APC organisations have begun targeting polling units and wards, with grassroots canvassers being encouraged to take the Tinubu-Shettima re-election message directly to communities.
This strategy could become one of the most important components of the campaign.
A governor may control a state political structure, but presidential votes are ultimately recorded polling unit by polling unit. The effectiveness of ward leaders, local government coordinators, youth groups, women organisations and community influencers could therefore determine whether the national campaign structure succeeds.
For APC, the challenge is to ensure that the campaign council does not become an assembly of prominent names without corresponding electoral influence at the grassroots.
Economic Situation Could Be APC’s Biggest Test
However, even the strongest campaign machinery cannot operate independently of the economic realities confronting voters.
Cost-of-living pressures, food prices, employment, security and household purchasing power are expected to feature prominently in the political conversation ahead of 2027. The Guardian’s analysis similarly notes that the zonal appointments themselves cannot solve these economic problems; the coordinators’ job will instead be to persuade voters that the administration’s reforms are producing, or will eventually produce, better outcomes.
President Tinubu has maintained that his administration’s reforms have placed Nigeria on the path of economic progress and has instructed campaign officials to take the government’s achievements to Nigerians.
This means the 2027 campaign could become as much a battle of public perception as one of political organisation.
If Nigerians feel improvements in their daily lives before voting begins, APC campaigners may find their message easier to sell. If economic pressures remain a dominant concern, even experienced campaign coordinators could face resistance.
APC Must Manage Internal Interests
Another major test is internal reconciliation.
The release of a large presidential campaign council inevitably creates political expectations. Those included may feel recognised, while influential figures who believe they deserve strategic responsibilities could become dissatisfied.
This is where Tinubu’s appeal for campaign leaders to involve party members outside the formal council becomes significant.
The APC leadership will need to ensure that experienced campaigners, former officeholders, governors, lawmakers, grassroots leaders and political groups all feel that they have a meaningful role to play.
The party cannot afford to enter the election with powerful stakeholders working at cross-purposes.
Can Tinubu’s Zonal Strategy Deliver 2027?
The appointment of zonal coordinators represents only the beginning of the battle.
What matters now is performance.
Can Uba Sani consolidate the North-West? Can Modu-Sheriff significantly improve APC’s numbers in the North-East? Can Peter Mbah make meaningful inroads into the South-East? Can Bassey Otu expand the party’s South-South support? Can Umar Bago hold the North-Central, and can Sanwo-Olu produce an even stronger South-West showing?
These are questions APC leaders and strategists will continue to evaluate as the election approaches.
Tinubu has assembled politicians with substantial experience, but political appointments alone cannot guarantee victory. The campaign must combine reconciliation, grassroots mobilisation, strategic communication and an economic message capable of connecting with ordinary Nigerians.
Ultimately, the strength of Tinubu’s 2027 campaign council will not be measured by the prominence of those appointed but by their ability to turn political influence into votes.
For APC, therefore, the sleepless nights of political calculation may have only just begun.
