Opposition parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) have criticised President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the composition of the ruling party’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, questioning the credibility of the team assembled to prosecute the President’s re-election campaign.
This was contained in two separate statements by the parties’ National Publicity Secretaries, Bolaji Abdullahi and Abubakar Yusuf, respectively, on Saturday.
The APC and the Presidency on Saturday announced Abdulaziz Yari, former Zamfara State governor, as Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council and Hope Uzodimma, Imo State governor, as Secretary.
Tinubu is to serve as chairman, while Kashim Shettima, Vice President and Nentawe Yilwatda,
APC National Chairman, are named vice chairmen.
The ADC described the council as a ‘rehabilitation system’ for individuals facing unresolved corruption and public accountability questions, particularly questioning the inclusion of Betta Edu, former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, and Ngozi Olejeme, former chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
‘What should ordinarily be a political task team ends up looking like a rehabilitation system for individuals carrying unresolved questions of corruption and public accountability,’ the ADC said.
The party challenged the government to explain whether the cases involving the two former officials had been resolved and, if so, disclose ‘how and when and by whom they were cleared.’
The ADC spokesman said the 2027 election would be a referendum on Tinubu’s performance, arguing that political campaigns could not erase the hardship facing Nigerians.
‘The President may assemble his old friends and political allies, including those carrying unresolved corruption questions, but all of their collective brooms cannot sweep away the grave pains they have brought on the Nigerian people,’ he said.
Similarly, Yusuf described the campaign council as an ‘assembly of disconnected yes men and discredited politicians’ lacking the public confidence required to deliver victory for Tinubu.
He particularly criticised Yari’s appointment as Director-General, alleging that his tenure as Zamfara governor was characterised by worsening insecurity and poor socio-economic conditions.
‘If after three and half years in power, President Tinubu could not garner the capacity to assemble a credible team, then it is clear that indeed he has no business being in charge of a nation as complex and demanding as Nigeria,’ the APM said.
The APM also accused the administration of worsening poverty, unemployment and insecurity, while presenting its presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, as an alternative.
‘The Osun governorship election experience should serve as a pointer to them that President Tinubu cannot win the 2027 Presidential election,’ the APM said.