By Ghazali Ibrahim
President Bola Tinubu has constituted the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general election, appointing former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General.
The council’s formation was announced in a statement issued by the Presidency on Saturday and signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State was named Secretary of the campaign council, while Tinubu will serve as Chairman and Vice President Kashim Shettima as Vice-Chairman I.
APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, was appointed Vice-Chairman II.
Other key appointments include APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, as Deputy Secretary, while Hadiza Bala-Usman will serve as Assistant Secretary.
Tinubu will be supported by a team of advisers comprising former APC National Chairman Bisi Akande, veteran politician Segun Osoba, former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni were appointed Deputy Directors-General for the South and North zones.
They will work alongside Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Senator Jibril Barau.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole was appointed Deputy Director-General for mobilisation, while the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, will oversee administration as Deputy Director-General.
James Faleke, who played a prominent role in the APC’s 2022/2023 presidential campaign, returns as Deputy Director-General for election planning, coordination and monitoring.
Faleke will work with zonal directors covering the six geopolitical zones.
The campaign’s legal directorate will be headed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, while the media and strategic communication directorate will be coordinated by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Former presidential spokesman Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa-Onilu will work alongside Idris in the media directorate.
Segun Dada, who served in the same capacity during the 2022 campaign, was reappointed Director of New Media.
The campaign council also named five spokespersons, led by Alake, with Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda as members of the team.
Tinubu charged members of the campaign council to work towards securing victory for the APC in the 2027 election.
The President also urged the directorate leaders to bring other party members into the campaign effort, even if they were not formally listed on the council.
Tinubu said the administration had delivered on its campaign promises and urged members of the council to highlight its achievements during the campaign.
He said the APC was entering the campaign season with achievements to showcase and called on members to inspire confidence among Nigerians.
The President further urged the campaign team to work towards defeating opposition forces seeking to return the country to what he described as a period of setbacks.
