President Bola Tinubu has formally constituted the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections, appointing former Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Yari as its Director-General. Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma was named Secretary of the council. The appointments signal the party’s early mobilisation for the 2027 contest, with the campaign machinery now taking shape nearly two years before the polls.
In a parallel development, the President also appointed Arabinrin Aderonke as Coordinating Secretary for Media and Strategic Communications III, part of a broader media team that includes seasoned communicators tasked with shaping the party’s message. The campaign council is expected to drive the party’s re-election bid, leveraging the incumbent’s record and the APC’s vast political machinery.
However, the appointments have drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the APC of attempting to rehabilitate politically controversial figures. The party singled out the inclusion of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu and former NSITF chairman Ngozi Olejeme as examples of questionable appointments. The ADC argued that the campaign council’s composition reflects an attempt to “rehabilitate individuals carrying unresolved questions of corruption”.
The winners: President Tinubu and the APC, which have assembled a campaign team with a mix of political heavyweights and communication strategists. The losers: the opposition, which must now contend with a well-organised ruling party campaign, and the Nigerian public, who will be subjected to an intense political season.
Bottom Line: Tinubu’s campaign team is set. The opposition is crying foul. The battle for 2027 is already underway.