By Ogochukwu Isioma
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima will lead the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council as chairman and vice-chairman respectively ahead of the January 2027 general election.
The campaign council, whose composition was released on Saturday, names former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, will serve as secretary.
APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, will also serve as vice-chairman, with National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru and Hadiza Bala-Usman appointed deputy and assistant secretaries respectively.
The council chairman, President Tinubu, will be supported by an advisory body comprising Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita Giwa.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni have been appointed deputy directors-general for the campaign in the South and North. They will work alongside Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau in the two zones.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole will serve as Deputy Director-General in charge of mobilisation, while the President’s Chief of Staff will oversee administration as Deputy Director-General.
James Abiodun Faleke, who played a key role in the 2022/2023 presidential campaign, returns as Deputy Director-General for election planning, coordination and monitoring.
Faleke will work with zonal directors including Senator Olushola Adeyeye for the South-West, Dr Ngozi Olejeme for the South-South, Senator Uche Ekwunife for the South-East, Muntaqha Rabe for the North-West, Ahmed Muhammed Ketso for the North-Central and Senator Sani Danladi for the North-East.
Ms Stella Okotete, Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori will serve as secretaries of the election planning directorate.
Muiz Adeyemi Banire will head the legal directorate as director, with Dr Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala as deputies. Other members include Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, former Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema, Worgu Boms and Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, has been appointed coordinating director for media and strategic communication. He will work with Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa-Onilu.
Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala and Felix Morka will serve as coordinating deputy directors in the media directorate.
Abdulaziz AbdulAziz, Temitope Ajayi, Arabinrin Aderonke and Frederick Nwabufor will serve as coordinating secretaries, while Segun Dada will return as Director of New Media, a position he held during the 2022/2023 campaign. Solomon Arowolo will serve as 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.
In a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu charged members of the council to work towards securing victory for the APC in the 2027 elections, while urging directorate heads to engage other party members who were not formally listed but could contribute to the campaign.
“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 added: “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. Let us soundly defeat all those forces who plan to take our country backwards.”
