Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has fired the first official salvo ahead of the 2027 general elections, unveiling a formidable 200-member Presidential Campaign Council for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President, who will serve as Chairman of the council, announced the composition on Saturday in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, will serve as Vice Chairmen, placing the party’s top hierarchy at the helm of the election machinery .
In a move that signals both political heft and strategic calculation, former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, has been appointed Director-General of the campaign . Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, will serve as Secretary, tasked with coordinating the council’s secretariat .
A Team of Heavyweights
The council brings together a constellation of party elders and influential figures to provide strategic guidance. This body of senior advisers includes APC stalwarts Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Segun Osoba, alongside Senators Rochas Okorocha, Abdullahi Adamu and Florence Ita-Giwa .
For zonal coordination, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni have been assigned as Deputy Directors-General for the South and North, working in tandem with Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau .
Former Edo Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, will lead mobilisation efforts as Deputy Director-General, while the President’s Chief of Staff will oversee administration .
Faleke Returns to Key Role
James Faleke, who played a pivotal role in the 2023 campaign, returns as Deputy Director-General in charge of Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring . He will supervise zonal directors across the six geopolitical zones: Senator Olushola Adeyeye (South-West), Dr Ngozi Olejeme (South-South), Senator Uche Ekwunife (South-East), Muntaqha Rabe (North-West), Ahmed Ketso (North-Central), and Senator Sani Danladi (North-East) .
Yari Vows ‘Hardcore’ Campaign
Senator Yari has formally accepted his appointment, vowing to approach the assignment with “seriousness, discipline and a strong commitment to party unity”
In a statement issued in Abuja, the former governor expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the party leadership for the confidence reposed in him .
“I accept this responsibility with deep gratitude and full seriousness. My sincere thanks go to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party for the trust placed in me. I do not take it lightly,” he said .
Yari emphasised that his mandate extends beyond mere vote mobilisation, describing the campaign as “a conversation with the Nigerian people in every state, every language, every faith about the future we are building together” .
He pledged that the APC campaign would be conducted with discipline, unity and respect for Nigerians across party lines, declaring that “the work begins immediately, and there is a place for everyone” .
In a direct appeal to voters, the campaign DG urged Nigerians to “choose progress over division,” adding: “We will earn your confidence through our record, not noise” .
Tinubu’s Charge to the Team
In his charge to the team, President Tinubu urged members to sell the achievements of his administration and present a renewed vision to Nigerians .
“We have delivered on our campaign promises and set our country on a path of economic progress,” Tinubu said, adding: “As we march into the campaign season, we have many achievements to trumpet—let us confidently showcase our record and inspire hope in every corner of our nation” .
He also directed the council to accommodate other willing party members not listed in the initial composition, signalling an inclusive approach as the party prepares for the January 2027 presidential contest .
The unveiling of this extensive campaign machinery comes as political parties and emerging coalitions intensify preparations for what promises to be a fiercely contested 2027 presidential election.
