By Ayodele Quadri, Lagos Times Correspondent
ABUJA, NIGERIA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held marathon closed-door meetings at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa with governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC)—operating as the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF)—to resolve growing friction over the party’s newly released 2027 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) list.
The back-to-back consultations began late Wednesday, August 26, extending into Thursday night following the National Economic Council (NEC) session, as party leaders moved to review and adjust the campaign structure.
Core Drivers of the Campaign List Crisis
The controversy follows the release of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council list—initially announced with former Zamfara State Governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari designated as Director-General and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as Campaign Secretary. However, the publication sparked immediate backlash across party ranks:
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Exclusion of Party & State Leadership: Senior APC chieftains and governors raised concerns that key subnational stakeholders and the party’s formal apparatus were bypassed during drafting, claiming the list was framed predominantly by select presidential aides.
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Inclusion of Controversial Figures: The inclusion of certain party figures currently facing active corruption investigations or public controversies drew public and internal resistance.
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Institutional Neutrality Concerns: Members of the National Assembly raised conflict-of-interest objections over the inclusion of serving public officers in campaign leadership roles—specifically cabinet ministers, tax administrators, and public finance heads—arguing it risks blurring the boundaries between state administration and partisan political operations.
