President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal and reconstitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections.
Newsonspot gathered that the decision followed concerns from senior party stakeholders over the composition of the initial 223-member council announced by the Presidency.
According to a report by THEWILL, the President directed his Chief of Staff, the National Assembly leadership and the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to review the list and address concerns raised over the exclusion of some key party members.
The initial council had named former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, as Director-General.
However, the composition reportedly triggered criticism within the APC, with some stakeholders arguing that the council did not adequately reflect the party’s hierarchy, geographical spread and political structure.
Among the notable figures whose exclusion raised concerns was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who is regarded as one of the APC’s prominent figures in the South-East.
Other senior party members reportedly missing from the initial list included former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Former Ogun State Governors Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, as well as former Edo State governorship candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, were also reportedly absent.
The omission of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo also attracted attention, given his role in APC mobilisation in the South-South.
Concerns were further raised over the representation of the National Assembly leadership in the campaign structure. Senate President Godswill Akpabio was named Deputy Director-General for the Southern campaign, alongside House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni.
The revised campaign council is expected to be broader and more inclusive, bringing together APC leaders, governors, National Assembly members, experienced campaigners and influential stakeholders from across the six geopolitical zones.
Despite the withdrawal of the initial list, there is no indication that Tinubu has cancelled Yari’s appointment as Director-General of the campaign council.
The President had earlier urged members of the campaign team to work towards securing victory for the APC in 2027, while highlighting the achievements and economic reforms of his administration.
With the review now underway, attention is focused on the Presidency and APC leadership as they prepare a new campaign structure considered capable of accommodating the interests of the party’s major political blocs.
