Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to serve as chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections.
Ndume said the responsibility of coordinating the ruling party’s campaign should primarily rest with the APC leadership rather than the President, who is himself the candidate seeking re-election.
The senator made the comments during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he discussed the structure of the APC’s campaign machinery and preparations for the upcoming election.
“If I had the ear of Mr President, he does not need to be the Presidential Campaign Council chairman. What is the party doing?” Ndume said.
He argued that Tinubu should be viewed as the “product” being presented to voters, while the party should take responsibility for marketing its candidate and coordinating its political structures.
Ndume proposed that APC governors should lead the presidential campaign in their respective states, with a central coordinating team responsible for harmonising activities nationwide.
“The governors of every state should head the presidential campaign in their respective states, and there should be a coordinating team to coordinate them,” he said.
The senator’s position comes shortly after Tinubu constituted the APC Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 election and named himself chairman. Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda were appointed vice chairmen, while former Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Yari was named Director-General.
Ndume’s comments are significant because they come from a senior member of the ruling APC and highlight differing views within the party over how Tinubu’s re-election campaign should be organised.
The 2027 election is expected to feature intense competition among major political parties and emerging opposition alliances. As campaigning progresses, the organisation of party structures, state-level mobilisation and the performance of the Tinubu administration are likely to remain central issues.
Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election on the APC platform and assumed office in May 2023. His administration is now preparing for a bid to secure a second term in 2027.
