Tinubu sets up APC campaign council for 2027 elections, names Yari as DG

President Bola Tinubu has set up the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 general election.

Senator Abdulaziz Yari, a former Governor of Zamfara State, will be the Director-General of the council. Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State will serve as Secretary.

This announcement came in a statement from the Presidency on Saturday morning. The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The statement also revealed that President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima will be the Chairman and Vice-Chairman I of the council, respectively.

The APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, will take the role of Vice-Chairman II.

Senator Ajibola Basiru, the APC National Secretary, will be Deputy Secretary. Hadiza Bala-Usman was named as Assistant Secretary.

As chairman, Tinubu will work with advisers including Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni will be deputy director-generals for the campaign in the South and North zones. They will collaborate with Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Senator Jibril Barau.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole will be the Deputy Director-General for mobilisation. Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, was named Deputy Director-General for administration.

James Faleke, who was important in the party’s 2022/2023 campaign, returns as Deputy Director-General for election planning, coordination and monitoring.

He 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.

Stella Okotete, Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori will be secretaries of the election planning directorate. Muiz Banire, SAN, will head the legal directorate as Director, with Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala as deputies.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, will serve as 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 be coordinating deputy directors in the same directorate. Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Temitope Ajayi, Aderonke Arabirin and Frederick Nwabufo will serve as coordinating secretaries.

Segun Dada, who held the position in 2022, returns as Director, New Media, with Solomon Arowolo as Secretary.

The campaign has also named five spokespersons led by Alake, along with Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda.

In the statement, Tinubu urged all council members to work hard to secure victory for the party in the January 2027 elections.

He asked directorate leaders to reach out to other party members not officially listed to join the campaign effort.

The statement read, "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.

"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."