Tinubu’s 2027 Campaign: Wike, Soludo, Adeleke Join APC Council

ABUJA, Nigeria — The All Progressives Congress (APC) is widening the political base of President Bola Tinubu’s planned 2027 re-election campaign by bringing prominent figures associated with opposition parties into its expanded Presidential Campaign Council, according to the supplied report.

Among the most notable appointments are Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, identified in the report as a member of the Accord Party.

The appointments signal an effort to build a campaign structure that reaches beyond the APC’s formal membership, particularly in states where influential political figures outside the ruling party could help mobilise support for Tinubu.

Under the reported arrangement, Wike will coordinate campaign activities in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory, Soludo will oversee Anambra State, and Adeleke will coordinate activities in Osun State.

The inclusion of these figures also introduces a political balancing act for the ruling party: expanding its support base while managing concerns among APC members about the influence of politicians who do not belong to the party.

Wike, Soludo and Adeleke Take Key State Roles

The decision to assign coordination responsibilities to the three politicians is one of the most significant features of the revised campaign structure.

Wike’s reported appointment is particularly noteworthy because he remains associated with the PDP while serving in Tinubu’s administration. His role would place him at the centre of efforts to coordinate support for the president in Rivers State and the FCT.

Soludo’s inclusion brings the political influence of Anambra’s governor into the proposed campaign arrangement, while Adeleke’s appointment gives the structure a prominent figure in Osun, a state with a competitive political environment.

These appointments do not, by themselves, establish that the three politicians or their parties have formally joined the APC. Rather, the arrangement described in the source indicates that the campaign intends to accommodate politicians from different party backgrounds who are willing to support Tinubu’s re-election.

The distinction matters because cooperation in a presidential election does not necessarily mean that political parties have surrendered their identities, organisational structures or plans for elections at other levels.

Wike Defends Cross-Party Support for Tinubu

Wike has defended his participation in the campaign, arguing that politicians should be able to support a presidential candidate without abandoning their own political parties.

Speaking during a media interaction in Abuja, according to the report, the minister said Tinubu’s campaign should accommodate people outside the APC who have something to contribute to the president’s re-election.

He also maintained that supporting Tinubu does not prevent politicians from backing candidates of their own parties for the National Assembly and other elective offices.

Wike described the Rainbow Coalition as an arrangement bringing together APC members and supporters of the president who belong to other political parties.

He rejected suggestions that the coalition would necessarily create confusion among supporters or undermine the ruling party. He also insisted that the APC would remain the platform through which Tinubu seeks another presidential term.

The minister expressed confidence that Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election without a run-off. That prediction represents Wike’s political assessment, rather than an established electoral outcome.

His comments suggest that the coalition is intended to operate as a broader support network around the president, rather than as a replacement for the APC.

Why the APC Is Looking Beyond Its Membership

The reported expansion reflects a familiar calculation in Nigerian electoral politics: winning a presidential election requires more than party structures alone.

Governors, ministers, legislators, local political organisers and influential figures in opposition parties can help mobilise voters, coordinate campaigns and build relationships across different constituencies.

By placing political allies within a central campaign structure, the APC could seek to reduce competition between separate support groups and establish clearer lines of responsibility for mobilisation, fundraising, communications and logistics.

However, the effectiveness of such an arrangement will depend on whether the politicians involved can translate their influence into coordinated grassroots activity and actual voter support.

Political endorsements and campaign appointments are not equivalent to guaranteed votes. Voters may make independent decisions, while party supporters may disagree with the choices of their leaders.

The challenge for Tinubu’s campaign will therefore be to turn political agreements into a functioning national operation without creating new divisions within the ruling party.

Reported Opposition Within APC Ranks

The source reports that some APC stakeholders opposed the formal inclusion of Wike, Soludo and Adeleke in the campaign council.

According to accounts attributed to party insiders, critics were concerned that giving influential non-APC politicians official responsibilities could reduce the influence of longstanding party loyalists.

There were also concerns about potential friction in Rivers, Anambra and Osun, where local party interests may not always align with those of the politicians appointed to coordinate the campaign.

The reported disagreements highlight a central tension in coalition politics: a party may need outside allies to broaden its electoral appeal, but existing members may resist arrangements that appear to redistribute political influence.

The source attributes the final decision to Tinubu, who reportedly favoured a unified campaign structure over loosely coordinated support groups operating independently.

These accounts of internal disagreements have not been independently established in the material supplied. They should therefore be treated as reported claims rather than confirmed positions of the APC as a whole.

Abdulaziz Yari Retains Campaign Director-General Position

The revised list also outlines a broad leadership structure covering administration, mobilisation, communications, finance and election planning.

Senator Abdulaziz Yari is reported to have retained the position of Director-General of the re-election campaign.

Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole will serve as Deputy Director-General for Mobilisation, while Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, is listed as Deputy Director-General for Administration.

Other reported appointments include:

• David Umahi: Deputy Director-General for Infrastructure and Sensitisation.
• Sheriff Oborevwori: Director of Finance.
• Dapo Abiodun and Zacch Adedeji: Joint coordinators of fundraising operations.
• Abdullahi Ganduje: Director for Stakeholder Mobilisation.
• Babatunde Fashola: South-West Zonal Coordinator for Stakeholders’ Mobilisation.
• James Faleke: Deputy Director-General for Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring.
• Hope Uzodimma: Secretary of the Campaign Council.
• Dele Alake: Official Spokesman for the campaign.

The source also names Festus Keyamo, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Lere Olayinka and Segun Sowunmi among the figures joining the communications team.

Additional appointments cover special duties, sports-sector mobilisation, state assemblies and advisory responsibilities.

The breadth of the reported structure indicates that the campaign is preparing for an operation that extends beyond public rallies to include political coordination, financial management, messaging and election monitoring.

APC Governors Assigned State Campaign Responsibilities

Another major feature of the revised list is the reported appointment of all 32 APC governors as coordinators for their respective states.

The source also identifies APC governorship candidates Sharafadeen Alli in Oyo State, Mohammed Abubakar in Bauchi State and Chijioke Chukwu in Abia State as campaign coordinators for their respective states.

The reported arrangement places serving APC governors at the centre of the party’s state-level campaign machinery while making room for selected figures outside the ruling party in particular states.

Rivers is an especially sensitive case because Wike, rather than the sitting APC governor, is named as the state’s campaign coordinator.

Wike said Rivers had a distinctive political situation that required a particular approach to leadership and coordination. He rejected the suggestion that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had been excluded from the campaign.

According to Wike, Fubara would participate in campaign activities at both state and national levels. He also said the governor was involved in discussions concerning the president’s re-election.

These assurances are significant because political cooperation at the national level does not automatically eliminate disagreements among local political actors. How responsibilities are shared in Rivers could become an important test of the campaign’s ability to manage competing interests.

Wike Addresses Questions About Rivers Political Tensions

Wike also discussed the rift between himself and Fubara, blaming unnamed political actors, including some governors, for contributing to the earlier disagreement.

He claimed that reconciliation had taken place and that the parties were now working together in support of Tinubu.

The minister further denied allegations that he was working against APC governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State.

Wike’s remarks form part of his defence of the coalition model, under which politicians can cooperate on the presidential contest while retaining their own party affiliations and interests in other elections.

Nevertheless, his claims about reconciliation and political cooperation remain attributable statements. Their practical implications will become clearer through subsequent public engagements, campaign activities and decisions involving the politicians concerned.

A Broader Network of Advisers and Political Figures

The revised campaign list reportedly adds 14 advisers, including Chief Bisi Akande, Aremo Segun Osoba, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, former Cross River South senator Florence Ita-Giwa, former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, former APC National Secretary Iyiola Omisore and former coordinating finance minister Wale Edun.

The appointments bring together current officeholders, former governors, party administrators and other influential figures.

Such a broad network could provide the campaign with political experience, access to different constituencies and a range of communication channels.

However, the number and seniority of appointees alone will not determine electoral success. The ability to coordinate their activities, resolve competing interests and maintain a consistent campaign message will be equally important.

Timeline: What Happens Next?

The immediate next step, according to the supplied report, is the formal inauguration of the expanded Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja.

The report attributes the announcement of the inauguration to APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru.

Following the inauguration, several developments will be important to watch:

1. Official confirmation of appointments: The full council list and individual responsibilities should be checked against an official APC or Presidency announcement.
2. State-level coordination: The campaign’s ability to work with governors, party structures and cross-party supporters will show whether the proposed arrangement can function in practice.
3. Clarification of party relationships: Further statements from the APC, PDP, APGA, Accord and the politicians concerned could help clarify how their respective party affiliations and electoral interests will be handled.
4. Campaign activities and messaging: Public rallies, policy presentations, grassroots mobilisation and the campaign’s communication strategy will provide a clearer picture of its priorities.
5. Electoral preparations: The official election timetable and applicable requirements issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be essential reference points as the 2027 elections approach.

What the Campaign Expansion Means for Nigeria’s 2027 Election

The reported appointments offer an early indication of how Tinubu’s supporters intend to approach the next presidential contest: by combining the APC’s established political organisation with support from influential figures outside its membership.

For the ruling party, the approach could widen its reach and help coordinate supporters in politically important states. At the same time, it could expose tensions over party loyalty, candidate selection and the distribution of campaign responsibilities.

For opposition parties, the involvement of prominent members or officeholders in support of Tinubu could complicate their efforts to present a unified challenge, although individual cooperation should not automatically be interpreted as a formal party realignment.

Ultimately, the success of the arrangement will depend on more than the names appearing on a campaign council list. It will be measured by how effectively the campaign organises its operations, how voters respond to its message and how the political landscape develops before election day.

LMSINT Media will continue to follow developments surrounding the 2027 elections, including official campaign announcements, party alignments and INEC’s electoral preparations.