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President Bola Tinubu has commenced fresh consultations with APC governors and other party leaders to review the 223-member Presidential Campaign Council released last weekend after the list triggered widespread disquiet within the ruling party.
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The development confirms THEWILL’s exclusive report of August 24 that Tinubu had ordered the recall and reconstitution of the initial campaign council following protests over the exclusion of key stakeholders and experienced campaigners.
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The APC has deleted the controversial initial list from its official X handle, while party sources say a revised structure is expected after the ongoing consultations and the President’s approval.
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The controversy centred on the omission of several influential APC figures, including governors and campaign veterans, as well as concerns that the structure did not adequately reflect the party’s hierarchy, geographical spread and political interests.
August 28, (THEWILL) — President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, held a closed-door meeting with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the Presidency and the ruling party intensified efforts to resolve the controversy surrounding the composition of the party’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council.
The meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, is the latest in a series of high-level consultations involving the President, APC governors and other party leaders over the contentious campaign council list.
The development confirms THEWILL’s exclusive report published on Monday, August 24, that Tinubu had ordered the recall and reconstitution of the initial campaign council following growing disquiet among senior members and stakeholders of the ruling party.
The APC governors arrived at the President’s office shortly before 4 pm on Thursday after emerging from a separate session of the National Economic Council chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The Thursday meeting followed an extensive engagement that began on Wednesday and lasted several hours without a final resolution.
Sources familiar with the discussions said the campaign council list remained a major item on the agenda as the President and party leaders sought to address the concerns raised over its composition.
THEWILL reports that the consultations are expected to produce a broader and more politically balanced structure that accommodates the APC’s major stakeholders and reflects the party’s political strength across the country.
APC Deletes Initial List From X
One of the clearest indications that the initial structure is being reworked is the deletion of the campaign council list from the APC’s official X handle.
A senior source close to the APC governors confirmed that the controversial list had been removed and that a new one would be published after the conclusion of the consultations and approval by the President.
“The list is part of the main agenda of the meeting. You can notice that the other controversial list has been deleted from the Twitter handle of the party”, the source said.
The deletion came amid intense criticism of the 223-member structure released by the party on Saturday, August 23.
Another senior APC chieftain expressed concern over the process through which the initial list was produced, alleging that key sections of the party were not sufficiently consulted.
“Can you believe that the party was not carried along in the formation of the list? The President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters and a few persons in the Presidency came up with the list. You can see the backlash that has trailed it. The President is handling the matter, and it is believed that some changes will be made after the two-day meeting”, the chieftain said.
Initial List Sparks Uproar
The APC had released a 223-member Presidential Campaign Council to coordinate Tinubu’s campaign ahead of the 2027 general election.
Under the initial arrangement, Tinubu was named Chairman, while Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, were named Vice Chairmen I and II respectively.
Former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, was appointed Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was named Secretary.
The expanded structure included directorates covering finance, extractive industries, education, manufacturing and MSMEs, support group coordination, faith-based mobilisation, protocol, labour union relations, special duties, stakeholders’ mobilisation, community support, digital operations, grassroots engagement and welfare.
But the list immediately generated backlash, with party stakeholders questioning the exclusion of prominent members and experienced political operators.
Among those whose absence raised concerns were former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who served as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 election; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who handled stakeholders’ relations in the 2023 campaign structure.
Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, former Ogun State governors Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, and former Edo State governorship candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu were also among notable figures omitted from the initial list.
The exclusion of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, equally generated concern, particularly among APC stakeholders in the South-East.
The omission of Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, also raised questions, given the strategic role governors are expected to play in grassroots mobilisation and electoral coordination ahead of the 2027 poll.
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National Assembly Structure Questioned
Beyond individual omissions, party leaders also raised questions about the hierarchy and balance of some appointments.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio was listed as a Deputy Director-General for the Southern campaign alongside Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni.
Some stakeholders reportedly questioned whether the arrangement adequately reflected Akpabio’s institutional and political standing as President of the Senate.
Akpabio is constitutionally the third-highest political office holder in Nigeria after the President and Vice President.
The concerns, according to party sources, were not necessarily about individual appointments but about ensuring that the campaign structure reflected the political and institutional realities of the ruling party.
Stakeholders argued that the campaign council, as the principal political machinery for Tinubu’s re-election, should adequately accommodate the party’s governors, National Assembly leadership, national officers, former governors, experienced campaigners and influential stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones.
Presidency Earlier Admitted Adjustments
The Presidency had earlier acknowledged that adjustments could be made to the campaign council following the controversy.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said the list remained valid because the campaign structure was not yet complete, with several subcommittees still to be constituted.
Dare’s comments came as pressure mounted within the APC for the composition to be reviewed.
The latest consultations, however, indicate that the Presidency and the party leadership have moved beyond the initial defence of the structure to actively address the concerns raised by party stakeholders.
Yari’s Appointment Remains
Despite the review of the council, there has been no indication that Yari’s appointment as Director-General has been withdrawn.
THEWILL had exclusively reported on May 11 that Tinubu had selected the former Zamfara governor to head his 2027 presidential campaign.
Tinubu Seeks United Campaign Machinery
The President’s intervention comes as the APC begins preparations for the 2027 presidential election, in which Tinubu is seeking re-election.
The controversy over the initial campaign council had created an unexpected political distraction for the ruling party, with influential members raising concerns over representation and the manner in which the structure was assembled.
Unveiling the initial campaign structure on Saturday, Tinubu charged members to work towards securing victory for the APC and directed the various directorates to bring other party members into the campaign effort, including those not formally listed. He also urged the campaign team to focus on the achievements of his administration and its economic reforms.
“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,” the President said.
He further urged the campaign team to present the administration’s record to Nigerians and inspire support 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,” Tinubu said.
The latest meeting with APC governors therefore represents a significant step towards resolving the internal disagreement over the campaign council.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
