By JAMES KWEN, Abuja; MUHD ZANGINA KURA, Dutse
The 2027 presidential campaign season is already exposing alliances and calculations shaping President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, with familiar political heavyweights missing from the main campaign council, new allies securing strategic positions and the inclusion of some controversial figures stirring fresh debate.
From the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general election unveiled at the weekend, it could be observed that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Governor of Benue State, George Akume; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and several other cabinet members serving under President Bola Tinubu are conspicuously absent from the list.
President Tinubu had on Saturday unveiled the APC Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
Former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, is the Director-General of the council, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, is the Secretary.
According to a statement by the President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu will chair the council, while Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as First Vice Chairman. APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, is the Second Vice Chairman.
While some ministers and other senior government officials have been assigned key roles in the campaign council, several others are not members of the main council.
However, all serving ministers are members of the state campaign councils for the presidential election.
Those without prominent roles in the main council include the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev; Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam; Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Mairiga Mahmud; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Bernard Doro; and Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, among others.
Also absent from the list is the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, although his Senate counterpart, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, is a member of the council.
Why Akume, Keyamo Are Missing
Akume’s absence is notable because he served as Vice Chairman, North, of the APC Presidential Campaign Council during the 2019 presidential election.
However, his exclusion from the 2027 campaign structure is believed to be consistent with the precedent of keeping certain top government officials focused on governance rather than partisan electioneering.
Ahead of the 2023 general election, then-President Muhammadu Buhari directed that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, be excluded from the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Keyamo, who was then the council’s official spokesperson, explained the decision.
“For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari is the chairman of the Campaign Council. As a result, Mr President has specifically directed that the Vice President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of government,” he said.
Keyamo added that, as a responsible party and government, it would be impractical for all key government functionaries to abandon their official responsibilities for electioneering.
Interestingly, Keyamo, who served as spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in both the 2019 and 2023 elections, has not been assigned a major role in the 2027 campaign council.
His omission is said to be linked to political developments in his home state, Delta, which is now controlled by the APC.
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, who defected to the APC, has been assigned the role of Director of Finance/Treasurer in the campaign council.
