President Bola Tinubu has directed a review of the composition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections following complaints over the exclusion and placement of several senior party leaders.
The development comes days after the Presidency unveiled a 223-member campaign council headed by former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, as Director-General.
Sources familiar with the development said the President ordered his Chief of Staff and other officials in the Presidency to work with the leadership of the National Assembly and the APC National Working Committee to review the structure and address concerns raised by party stakeholders.
The Presidency, however, said the campaign structure remains in place but would undergo adjustments.
The complaints reportedly centred on the omission of some influential party members, regional representation and the positioning of leaders of the National Assembly within the campaign hierarchy.
One of the major concerns was the exclusion of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, from the initial list.
Kalu’s omission reportedly generated concerns within the party, particularly over the representation of the South-East in the campaign structure.
The initial arrangement also assigned senior roles to some National Assembly leaders. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas were listed among the leaders responsible for campaign coordination in the southern and northern zones respectively, while Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni was also assigned a senior role.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Deputy Senate President Jibril Barau were similarly assigned coordinating responsibilities.
Some party stakeholders are said to have questioned whether the arrangement adequately reflected the political and constitutional ranking of the National Assembly leadership.
The review is expected to address those concerns and ensure broader participation by senior party leaders and experienced political actors.
Several figures with previous experience in APC presidential campaigns were also reportedly absent from the initial list.
They include former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who served as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 presidential election, as well as Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello were also among the notable names reportedly missing from the original structure.
The APC had announced the 223-member council on August 22, with President Tinubu as chairman, Vice-President Kashim Shettima as vice-chairman and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda as another vice-chairman. Yari was appointed Director-General, while Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma was named secretary.
The council also includes several senior party figures and former office holders in various strategic positions as the ruling party begins preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
The reported review followed internal concerns over the balance of the council and the need to accommodate a wider range of party interests.
It is expected that a revised structure will be released after consultations among the Presidency, the APC National Working Committee and leaders of the National Assembly.
The development comes as the APC intensifies preparations for the 2027 election and seeks to consolidate its political machinery ahead of the presidential campaign.
