2027 race: Yari takes the driver’s seat as Tinubu’s campaign DG.

With the commencement of presidential campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections, incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has constituted the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, appointing former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General.

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State will serve as secretary of the campaign council, while President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as chairman and vice chairman respectively. APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, will also serve as vice chairman.
APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, and Hadiza Bala-Usman were named deputy and assistant secretaries. The council will also have a body of advisers comprising Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita Giwa.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni were appointed deputy director-generals for the southern and northern zones. They will work alongside Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Senator Jibril Barau in the two zones.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole was appointed deputy director-general in charge of mobilisation, while the President’s Chief of Staff will serve as deputy director-general for administration.
James Abiodun Faleke, who played a key role in the 2022/2023 campaign, returns as deputy director-general for election planning, coordination and monitoring. He will work with zonal directors across the six geopolitical zones.
Senator Olushola Adeyeye will oversee the South West, Dr Ngozi Olejeme the South South, Senator Uche Ekwunife the South East, Muntaqha Rabe the North West, Ahmed Muhammed Ketso the North Central and Senator Sani Danladi the North East.
Ms Stella Okotete, Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori were appointed secretaries of the election planning directorate.
Muiz Adeyemi Banire will lead the legal directorate as director, supported by Dr Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala as deputies. Other members of the directorate include Prince Lateef Fagbemi, former Governor Ibrahim Shema, Worgu Boms and Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, will serve as coordinating director for media and strategic communication, alongside Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa-Onilu.
The media directorate will also include Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala and Felix Morka as coordinating deputy directors. Abdulaziz AbdulAziz, Temitope Ajayi, Arabinrin Aderonke and Frederick Nwabufor will serve as coordinating secretaries.
Segun Dada will return as Director of New Media, the same position he held during the 2022 campaign, while Solomon Arowolo will serve as Secretary of New Media.
The campaign council also appointed five spokespersons led by Dele Alake. Others are Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda.
President Tinubu charged members of the council to work tirelessly towards securing victory for the APC in the January 2027 elections. He also urged leaders of the various directorates to reach out to other party members who were not formally listed but could contribute to the campaign.
According to a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the administration had delivered on its campaign promises and placed Nigeria on a path of economic progress.
He urged the campaign team to highlight the administration’s achievements, inspire hope among Nigerians and defeat what he described as forces seeking to take the country backwards.