Tinubu Asks APC Campaign Council to Defeat Forces Seeking to Take Nigeria Backwards

*President heads campaign council; Yari emerges as DG, accepts appointment 

*Shettima, Yilwatda named vice chairmen; Uzodimma secretary 

*ADC: APC campaign council a rehabilitation centre for corruption suspects

Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu yesterday charged the members of the high-powered Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the January 2027 presidential election to defeat all those forces who planned to take Nigeria backwards.
The ruling APC yesterday announced the constitution of the campaign council with President Tinubu as Chairman.

At the same time, former Governor of Zamfara State and serving Senator, Abdulaziz Yari and Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State emerged as the Director-General and Secretary, respectively.
According to a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as vice chairman of the council.

The party’s Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, will also serve as vice chairman; APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru and Special Adviser to the President, Hadiza Bala-Usman, will serve as deputy and assistant secretaries.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the APC campaign council as a “rehabilitation centre” for persons facing unresolved corruption questions.

Tinubu charged all council members to work tirelessly to deliver victory for the party in the January 2027 elections.
He has also encouraged the leaders of the various directorates to reach out to other party members who may not have been formally listed to join their crucial efforts.

 “We have delivered on our campaign promises and set our country on a path of economic progress. We are definitely out of the dark tunnel and are now at the cusp of reaping the benefits of a prosperous economy that will benefit all Nigerians. 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. Let us soundly defeat all those forces who plan to take our country backwards,” explained.

According to the statement by Onanuga, President Tinubu, as chairman of the council, will work with a body of advisers, namely: Pioneer National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba; ex-Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha; former national chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; and former presidential aide, Senator Florence Ita Giwa.

The statement disclosed that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass; and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State have been appointed as deputy directors-general for the campaign in the south and the north, respectively.

The statement noted that they would work with the Senate Leader, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibril Barau, in the two zones.
Continuing, the statement explained that the former National Chairman of the APC, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, would serve as deputy director-general in charge of mobilisation.

In contrast, the President’s Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, will serve as deputy director-general for administration.
The statement added that a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, who played a pivotal role in the 2022/2023 campaign, has returned as deputy director-general for election planning, coordination and monitoring.
Faleke, according to the statement, will work with zonal directors, including Senator Olushola Adeyeye in the South-west; Dr Ngozi Olejeme in the South-South; Senator Uche Ekwunife in the South-east; Muntaqha Rabe in the North-west; Ahmed Muhammed Ketso in the North-central; and Senator Sani Danladi in the North-east.

Similarly, Ms Stella Okotete, Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori will serve as secretaries of the election planning directorate.
Muiz Adeyemi Banire will lead the legal directorate as director, with Dr. Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala as deputies.
The statement identified the other members of the legal directorate to include: Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema; Worgu Boms; and Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.

The statement also explained that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, will serve as the Coordinating Director for Media and Strategic Communication, alongside Dele Alake, Onanuga, and Lanre Issa-Onilu.
The media directorate also includes Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala, and Felix Morka, who have been assigned as coordinating deputy directors.

Abdulaziz AbdulAziz will work with three others, namely Temitope Ajayi, Arabinrin Aderonke, and Frederick Nwabufor, as coordinating secretaries of the media directorate.
Segun Dada will serve as Director, New Media, the same role he performed in 2022, while Solomon Arowolo will serve as Secretary, New Media.

The campaign council also appointed five spokespersons, led by Dele Alake. Other spokespersons are Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda.

Yari Accepts Appointment as Campaign Council DG

Meanwhile, Senator Yari has accepted his appointment as Director-General of the APC Campaign Council for the 2027 election.
Yari, who represents Zamfara West in the Senate, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the APC leadership for entrusting him with the responsibility.

“I accept this responsibility with deep gratitude and full seriousness.
“My sincere thanks go to President Bola Tinubu and the party for the trust placed in me, and to our party leadership for the confidence. I do not take it lightly,” Yari said.

He described the campaign as more than an electoral contest, saying it would be “a conversation with the Nigerian people in every state, every language, every faith about the future we are building together.”
The former Zamfara State governor pledged to conduct the campaign with discipline, unity and respect for all Nigerians, adding that work would begin immediately.

Yari also called on Nigerians across political divides to choose progress over division, saying the APC would seek to earn public confidence through its record rather than “noise.”
“By the grace of God, and with the effort of us all, we will deliver victory in January 2027,” he concluded.

ADC: APC Campaign Council a Rehabilitation Centre for Corruption Suspects

Meanwhile, the ADC has described the APC campaign council as a “rehabilitation centre” for persons facing unresolved corruption questions.
 In a statement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party questioned the inclusion of former officials Betta Edu and Ngozi Olejeme, calling on the government to disclose whether outstanding corruption cases involving them had been resolved or if this appointment is Tinubu’s way of pardoning corrupt officials affiliated with his party.  

The ADC spokesman argued that most of the individuals assembled for the President’s campaign lacked credibility, insisting that the 2027 general election will be a referendum on Tinubu’s performance over the last three years.

Abdullahi said: ”We have taken note of the composition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 campaign council. What should ordinarily be a political task team ends up looking like a rehabilitation system for individuals carrying unresolved questions of corruption and public accountability.

”We note, especially, the inclusion of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Betta Edu, who President Tinubu suspended following the controversy surrounding the attempted transfer of N585 million into a private account, as well as Former NSITF Chairman Ngozi Olejeme, who has faced EFCC prosecution over allegations of financial malpractices, among others whose names carry a pungent odour of corruption.