APC UNVEILS TINUBU CAMPAIGN COUNCIL WITH CROSS-PARTY NAMES AS WIKE EMERGES CENTRAL FIGURE
By Emeka Amaefula
The All Progressives Congress APC, has released a fully revised list of its Presidential Campaign Council for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, drawing in several unexpected figures from outside the ruling party and placing Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike at the centre of its mobilisation strategy.
Wike has been appointed Campaign Coordinator for Rivers State and the FCT. Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke will coordinate the campaign in Osun, while PDP Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo was named Adviser to the Campaign Council alongside Obafemi George, who will advise on media. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu was designated Deputy Director-General, South II. Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Martin Chike Amaewhule was appointed South-South Deputy Coordinator for State Assemblies Mobilisation, and Minister of Works David Umahi was listed as Deputy Director-General in charge of Infrastructure and Sensitization.
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori takes charge as Director of Finance. Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Nigeria Revenue Service Chairman Zacch Adedeji will jointly coordinate fundraising. For media and communications, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Lere Olayinka and Segun Sowunmi all feature on the list. Former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo was named Deputy Director for Sports Sector Mobilisation, while Niger Delta chieftain Ayiri Emami was appointed Director for Special Duties. Former Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje becomes Director for Stakeholder Mobilisation, and former Lagos Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola will serve as South-West Zonal Coordinator for Stakeholders’ Mobilisation.
Senator Abdulaziz Yari retains his position as Director-General. Senator Adams Oshiomhole serves as Deputy Director-General for Mobilisation, and Femi Gbajabiamila as Deputy Director-General for Administration. Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma continues as Secretary, assisted by APC National Secretary Ajibola Bashiru as Deputy Secretary and Hadiza Bala-Usman as Assistant Secretary. Solid Minerals Minister Dele Alake retains his role as Spokesman, while James Faleke serves as Deputy Director-General for Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring.
The most notable inclusions are those drawn from outside the APC fold: Wike, who remains a PDP member; Adeleke, who won re-election in Osun on the Accord Party platform; and Dankwambo, a sitting PDP senator. These appointments underline the ruling party’s willingness to enlist influential figures across party lines ahead of the 2027 elections.
PDP Claims Wike Remains “On Loan”
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party aligned with Wike has insisted that his service in the APC-led administration is a temporary “loan arrangement” with no provision for permanent transfer. The group maintains that Wike remains a committed and loyal PDP member and one of the party’s most valuable political assets, warning the APC against any hopes of a permanent acquisition. Other elements within the PDP have taken a harder line, viewing his open support for Tinubu and cross-party mobilisation as incompatible with opposition membership and treating the matter as already addressed through earlier disciplinary processes.
Wike’s political impact has grown steadily since his appointment as FCT Minister. He has positioned himself as a key mobiliser for Tinubu’s re-election, declaring himself field commander for the campaign in both the FCT and Rivers State and promoting a “Rainbow Coalition” that brings APC and PDP stakeholders together. His ability to deliver cross-party support, demonstrated in previous contests such as the 2024 Edo governorship election, has made him a valuable asset to the ruling party while simultaneously creating friction with some APC governors who worry that parallel structures could weaken their own candidates. Within the PDP, his continued influence has deepened internal divisions, with one side claiming ownership of him and another seeking to move on.
As the 2027 race intensifies, Wike’s dual role—serving in an APC government while retaining PDP membership and building coalitions beyond party lines—continues to shape both the ruling party’s strategy and the opposition’s internal struggles.
——- Emeka Amaefula —–+234(0)8111813069—
