The composition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general election has drawn criticism from opposition figures, with former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye threatening to challenge the appointment of Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Chairman Zacch Adedeji in court.
The APC on Saturday unveiled its 108-member Presidential Campaign Council for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
Tinubu was named Chairman of the council, while Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, were appointed Vice Chairmen I and II respectively.
Former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, was appointed Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was named Secretary.
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, was appointed Director of Fundraising, with Adedeji named Deputy Director of Fundraising. The Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Taminu Yakubu, was appointed Treasurer.
Reacting to the appointments, Melaye, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), questioned the inclusion of Adedeji, arguing that his position as head of the country’s revenue agency could create a conflict between his official responsibilities and partisan political activities.
Melaye specifically questioned the decision to appoint the NRS chairman to a senior fundraising position in the campaign council.
He argued that a serving public official responsible for overseeing revenue collection should maintain neutrality and comply with the rules governing public service conduct.
Melaye said he would approach the court to test the legality of the appointment.
“As a lawyer, by the grace of God, on Monday, I’m going to court. We have to test that,” he said.
He maintained that the appointment raised serious questions about conflict of interest and adherence to public service ethics.
“If that is not conflict of interest, I don’t know what else it would be,” Melaye said, adding that he would continue to oppose President Tinubu’s bid for another term in office.
The former senator also criticised the decision to make Tinubu chairman of his own presidential campaign council, describing the arrangement as unusual and “disgraceful.”
Melaye questioned why the presidential candidate would simultaneously head the body responsible for coordinating his campaign and suggested that the arrangement could raise questions about confidence within the ruling party.
He also described the 108-member campaign council as excessively large.
Meanwhile, Vice-Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, has also criticised the inclusion of Adedeji and Yakubu in the APC campaign structure.
Kwankwaso argued that the appointments could undermine public confidence in the neutrality of key government institutions, particularly agencies responsible for managing public revenue and national finances.
According to him, senior officials entrusted with such responsibilities are expected to maintain neutrality, integrity and public confidence.
“The leadership of critical public institutions demands neutrality, integrity and public confidence. It is therefore legitimate to ask whether the responsibilities of senior officials entrusted with managing public revenue and national finances can appropriately coexist with senior partisan campaign roles,” Kwankwaso said.
He said the composition of the APC campaign council should concern Nigerians, especially at a time when the country is grappling with economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity and pressure on essential public services.
Kwankwaso also appealed to Yari to reconsider his decision to serve as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
He argued that, as a former governor who understands the challenges confronting the North-West, Yari should carefully consider the implications of leading a campaign aimed at retaining the current administration in power.
“I therefore will be surprised if, in his good conscience, he will lead a campaign whose principal objective is to secure the continuation of a government under which many of the people he once governed, and other innocent Nigerians, remain trapped in these challenges,” he said.
Kwankwaso further portrayed the 2027 presidential election as a contest between Nigerians experiencing economic and social difficulties and those he accused of benefiting from the existing political system.
He urged Nigerians to reject what he described as continued oppression and to demand accountable, responsive and people-oriented governance ahead of the 2027 elections.
