From Victor Osula Abuja,
President Bola Tinubu has formally launched the political machinery for his 2027 re-election bid, appointing former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council.
The campaign council, which brings together the leadership of the APC, serving governors, lawmakers, former political office holders and key government officials, is expected to coordinate the ruling party’s nationwide mobilisation and election strategy ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
The composition of the council was announced on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Tinubu will serve as Chairman of the council, with Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, as Vice Chairmen.
Yari, a former two-term governor of Zamfara State and one of the influential figures in the ruling party, will oversee the campaign as Director-General.;Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was named Secretary, while APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, and Hadiza Bala-Usman were appointed Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively.
The council will be supported by a group of senior political figures serving as advisers to the President. They include former APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba; former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha; former APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; and Senator Florence Ita- Giwa.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, former Edo State Governor and newly appointed Deputy Director-General in charge of Mobilisation for the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, was appointed Deputy Director-General in charge of Mobilisation, placing him at the centre of the APC’s grassroots mobilisation and voter engagement efforts.
The President’s Chief of Staff will serve as Deputy Director-General in charge of Administration. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni were appointed Deputy Directors-General to coordinate the campaign in the southern and northern parts of the country.
They will work with Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Deputy Senate President Jibril Barau in coordinating campaign activities across the two regions.
James Abiodun Faleke is Deputy Director-General in charge of Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring.
Faleke will supervise campaign planning across the six geopolitical zones through appointed zonal directors.
Senator Olushola Adeyeye will coordinate the South-West; Dr Ngozi Olejeme, the South-South; Senator Uche Ekwunife, the South-East; Muntaqha Rabe, the North-West; Ahmed Muhammed Ketso, the North-Central; and Senator Sani Danladi, the North-East.
Stella Okotete, Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori were appointed secretaries in the Election Planning Directorate.
The Legal Directorate will be headed by Muiz Adeyemi Banire, with Dr Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala serving as deputies.
The directorate also includes Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; former Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema; Worgu Boms; and Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa-Onilu will serve as Coordinating Directors of Media and Strategic Communication.
Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala and Felix Morka were named Coordinating Deputy Directors, while Abdulaziz AbdulAziz, Temitope Ajayi, Arabinrin Aderonke and Frederick Nwabufor will serve as Coordinating Secretaries.
Segun Dada returns as Director of New Media, while Solomon Arowolo was appointed Secretary, New Media.
The campaign council also named five spokespersons, led by Dele Alake. The other spokespersons are Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda.
Onanuga said the President had directed members of the campaign council to work tirelessly to secure victory for the APC in the 2027 election.
Tinubu also instructed the heads of the various directorates to bring other party members into the campaign, including those not included in the formally released list.
The President said the campaign should be anchored on the achievements of his administration, particularly its economic policies.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He urged the campaign team to take the administration’s message to voters across the country.
“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 said.
Tinubu further charged the campaign council to defeat opposition forces seeking to dislodge the APC from power.
“Let us soundly defeat all those forces who plan to take our country backwards,” the President added.
The announcement comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, with opposition parties and presidential hopefuls also stepping up their mobilisation and public engagements.
The ruling party’s new campaign structure brings together its national leadership and influential political figures as Tinubu prepares to seek a second term in office.
The council will now be expected to translate the administration’s political message into a nationwide campaign strategy, mobilise the party’s structures and coordinate the APC’s efforts to retain the presidency in 2027.
