As the All Progressives Congress begins preparations for the 2027 presidential election, the party has unveiled its Presidential Campaign Council, but the initial list has drawn attention to the absence of several politicians with previous experience in presidential campaigns and grassroots mobilisation.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy and Coordinating Director of Media and Strategic Communication of the campaign, announced the council on Saturday.
President Bola Tinubu will chair the council, with Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, serving as vice chairmen.
Former Zamfara State Governor and Senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Yari, was appointed Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was named secretary.
APC National Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, and Hadiza Bala-Usman were also appointed deputy secretary and assistant secretary respectively.
The composition has, however, reportedly raised concerns among some party stakeholders, with the President said to have directed a review of the list over issues relating to hierarchy, geographical representation and the structure of the party.
Against that backdrop, several notable APC figures with records of involvement in previous presidential campaigns are absent from the council as initially announced.
Festus Keyamo
The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, has played prominent roles in the APC’s presidential campaigns in previous election cycles.
Keyamo served as Director of Strategic Communications and spokesperson for former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re-election campaign.
Four years later, he became Chief Spokesperson and Director of Public Affairs for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, placing him among the most visible defenders of the ticket during the 2023 election.
His absence from the initial 2027 council therefore stands out given his previous responsibilities in campaign communication and political messaging.
Simon Lalong
Former Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, is another experienced campaign hand not included in the initial composition.
Lalong served as Director-General of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council during the 2023 presidential election.
His previous responsibility for coordinating the campaign that secured Tinubu’s victory has made his omission from the newly announced structure notable.
Nuhu Ribadu
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, also does not appear on the initial list.
Before taking up his current national security responsibilities, Ribadu served as Director of Field Operations for the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation during the 2019 general election.
Although his present role is centred on national security rather than partisan campaign activities, his previous experience in field operations gives him a history within presidential campaign organisation.
Yahaya Bello
Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is another influential APC figure missing from the initial council.
Bello was involved in grassroots mobilisation for Buhari’s 2019 re-election campaign and has maintained a prominent position within the APC’s political structure.
His experience and political network could have made him relevant to a campaign seeking broad grassroots mobilisation, although he was not included in the list initially released.
Femi Fani-Kayode
Former minister of aviation and APC chieftain, Femi Fani-Kayode, was also absent from the initial campaign council.
Fani-Kayode was an outspoken supporter of Tinubu during the 2023 presidential campaign and served as Director of Special Media Operations and New Media for the Tinubu-Shettima campaign.
His responsibilities placed him directly in the campaign’s media operations and public defence of the presidential ticket.
The reported review of the council means the initial list may not necessarily represent its final composition.
Whether some of the omitted figures will be brought into an expanded or revised structure remains to be seen as the APC continues preparations for the 2027 presidential contest.
