President Bola Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of the All Progressives Congress (APC)Presidential Campaign Council list for 2027 and mandated a total review.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the initial list was made public.
A report by THEWILL newspaper said that the President’s directive was triggered by protests from senior APC stakeholders who faulted the first draft for sidelining key figures and failing to mirror the party’s zoning balance and leadership hierarchy.
The President has now asked the Office of the Chief of Staff to work with the leadership of the National Assembly and the APC National Working Committee to produce a revised list that addresses those concerns.
A senior party source said the decision was to avoid starting the 2027 race on a fractured note.
“The President was taken aback that critical and experienced voices in the party were not reflected. The goal is a campaign council that unites all blocs ahead of 2027,” the source said.
The first list named ex-Zamfara Governor Senator Abdul’aziz Yari as Director-General. But it immediately ran into trouble over glaring omissions.
Most cited was the absence of Rep. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House and the most senior APC federal office holder from the Southeast. Stakeholders said leaving him out undermined the party’s push for inclusion in the zone.
The placement of National Assembly leaders also raised eyebrows. Senate President Godswill Akpabio was listed as Deputy Director-General for the Southern campaign, alongside Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Gov. Mai Mala Buni. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau got coordinatingo roles.
Critics argued that ranking Akpabio, Nigeria’s No. 3 citizen, at the same level as other officials did not reflect constitutional order. The review is expected to correct that and give NASS leadership clearer prominence.
Beyond current office holders, the draft also excluded several APC stalwarts who managed the 2023 campaign.
Those missing include:
– Simon Lalong – DG, 2023 APC Presidential Campaign Council
– Festus Keyamo, SAN – Director of Public Affairs, 2023 campaign
– Nuhu Ribadu – Director of Stakeholders Relations, 2023 campaign
– Yahaya Bello – National Youth Coordinator, 2023 campaign
– Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, both former Ogun Governors
– Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former Edo governorship candidate
The list also did not include Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo. Given the role of governors in state mobilisation, party insiders said his omission sent the wrong signal, especially in the South-South where the APC is pushing to expand.
Sources said the core problem was that the council looked “too narrow” and did not capture the full spread of APC’s political structure across the six zones.
As the main vehicle for Tinubu’s re-election, the council is expected to carry governors, federal lawmakers, veteran strategists and other power brokers. The new version will aim for that wider spread.
Importantly, Yari remains DG and there is no indication the President has reversed that decision.
Even as the list is being reworked, Tinubu has told members of the initial council to get to work.
He urged them to mobilise more party members, whether named or not, and to sell the administration’s achievements and economic reforms to Nigerians.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
The Presidency and APC NWC now have the task of delivering a rebalanced council that reflects the party’s structure and keeps all critical stakeholders on board ahead of 2027.
