Fresh Details Emerge as Atiku, Obi Make Moves on Campaign Councils

Political parties and presidential candidates are stepping up preparations for the 2027 general elections, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party-backed political figure Peter Obi’s National Democratic Congress moving to finalise their campaign structures.

The development follows the formal opening of the campaign period by the Independent National Electoral Commission, allowing political parties and candidates to begin their campaigns in line with the electoral timetable.

While the ruling All Progressives Congress has already unveiled its 223-member Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku’s African Democratic Congress is still consulting on the composition and leadership of its campaign team.

Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said Nigerians would be informed once the consultations were concluded.

Shaibu said the former vice-president’s campaign council would be announced at the appropriate time, alongside details of the formal campaign launch.

“The composition of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s Presidential Campaign Council, its leadership and the formal take-off of the campaign will be announced at the appropriate time.

“Consultations are ongoing, and we would rather allow the process to run its course than speculate about names or locations ahead of an official decision,” he said.

He also disclosed that Atiku’s campaign would have its own fundraising framework, which he said would comply with the law.

“We are aware of the different approaches being adopted by other candidates. His Excellency’s campaign will unveil its own fundraising framework in accordance with the law and at the appropriate time.

“Whatever model is adopted will be transparent, accountable and consistent with applicable campaign-finance regulations,” Shaibu added.

According to him, Atiku’s immediate priority is to engage Nigerians on the issues affecting them and present his proposed alternatives to the policies of the current administration.

He particularly pointed to Atiku’s support for what he called a targeted fuel subsidy, stressing that the former vice-president’s proposal would be different from the previous import-based subsidy system.

Shaibu said the proposed arrangement would be linked to domestic production and aimed at encouraging local refining while reducing the financial burden on Nigerians.

He described the approach as one in which the subsidy would “follow the barrel.”

Attention is also turning to the campaign structure of the National Democratic Congress, who has Peter Obi as its presidential candidate.

The NDC is expected to hold a meeting next weekend to determine the composition of its campaign council and settle on the date and venue for the formal commencement of its campaign.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said some prominent figures were expected to feature in the campaign structure.

“We are meeting next weekend before we can decide on a date. But everything will be done at the same time,” he said.

Director specifically mentioned Prof Pat Utomi, Buba Galadima and Bishop Idahosa as some of the names expected to be involved.

He said the NDC planned to take its campaign to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, although the party was yet to decide where it would begin.

“I really don’t know the states we are going to kick off from. But we are going to be in the 36 states of the federation, including Abuja.

“We want to visit every state; if possible, we might even visit some states twice,” he said.

The party official added that the details would be made public after the planned meeting.

The Labour Party, meanwhile, is yet to announce its campaign timetable. Its presidential candidate, Dr Chibuzor Okereke, said the decision would be left to the party’s strategy team.

“You will be informed when we unveil it. Be rest assured that we are going to roll out everything once a decision has been taken,” Okereke said.

He added that the party had not decided whether its campaign would begin in a state or the FCT.

“However, whether LP will start from one of the states or the FCT is left to the strategy team to decide. I can’t also speak on the commencement date or otherwise because it is still in the works,” he said.

The Young Progressives Party, on the other hand, has already fixed a date for the commencement of its presidential campaign.

Its candidate, Prof Peter Agada, announced September 9 as the date for the formal launch of his campaign, with Lagos expected to serve as the starting point before the campaign moves to other parts of the country.

Agada said his campaign organisation had been in preparation for months and was not waiting for the official opening of the campaign period to begin its work.

“The good thing is that we have been preparing gradually. We didn’t wait until the INEC campaign ceremony to start doing that,” he said.

He explained that a political structure known as The Movement Nigeria had been established about four months ago and would form a major part of his campaign machinery.

“I am sure you know that I drive a movement. After resigning from the Obidient Movement, I know that a lot of Obidients did not go with him (Peter Obi). So, most of them came with me. That was how we set up a structure called The Movement Nigeria, which is approximately four months old. So, I can tell you that the structure to drive this election is already in place,” Agada said.

He also disclosed that key positions in his campaign council had already been identified, although the appointments were awaiting final ratification.

“We have already defined the team in terms of appointing the DG, Secretary, Communications Director and Media Director. All those offices are already in place with people managing them. But all these are going to be ratified on Wednesday,” he said.

Agada proposed YPP Deputy National Chairman, Ambassador Nana Aisha Mahmoud, as Director-General of his campaign council, subject to final approval.

“I have not gotten full clearance yet. But I have the person of Ambassador Nana Aisha Mahmoud. She is currently the Deputy National Chairman of the YPP. She is coming in as the Director-General of the Campaign Council,” he said.

He also identified Prof Osaze as the proposed secretary and Evelyn Ohiole as the Director of Media.

Agada said his campaign would adopt a nationwide approach, beginning with major locations before expanding into the various geopolitical zones.

He listed Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Abuja as some of the first areas of focus, while plans were also underway for meetings across the North-East, North-West, South-East and South-West.

“We have a focused state in concentric circles. We are moving from the known to the unknown. States like Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Abuja are our first points of call,” he said.

The YPP candidate also said technology would play a major role in his campaign, particularly in demonstrating the party’s proposed approach to governance.

“Our party is driven by GPS. It is a GPS governance system. We intend to demonstrate that capability utilising ICT to showcase how government can be run with GPS. So, we are going to deploy it in this campaign to the eyes of everyone,” Agada said.

He added that coordinators had already been put in place across states, local government areas and wards.

While opposition parties are still putting their structures together, the APC has already announced its campaign council. President Bola Tinubu appointed former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari as Director-General, while Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma was named Secretary.

The APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, however, said the ruling party had not fixed the date or venue for the campaign launch.

“I am sure you are aware that we have released the list of the APC Presidential Campaign Council with Senator Yari as the DG and Governor Hope Uzodimma the secretary.

“However, a date and state for the kick-off can’t be announced until the campaign council meets to discuss it,” Basiru said.

The council has Tinubu as chairman and Vice President Kashim Shettima as vice-chairman I, while APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, is vice-chairman II.

Other members include Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni.

The unveiling of the APC council has also drawn criticism from Kwankwaso, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, who asked Yari to reconsider his decision to lead Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

Kwankwaso argued that Yari, as a former governor of Zamfara State, was familiar with the security and economic difficulties facing many Nigerians and should consider whether heading the campaign for the continuation of the present administration was consistent with his understanding of those challenges.

He also questioned the involvement of senior public officials, including the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, and the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Dr Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, in the campaign’s fundraising and finance structures.

Kwankwaso said officials responsible for public revenue and national finances should maintain institutional neutrality and called for clarification on their participation in partisan campaign activities.

He maintained that the strength of any campaign structure would ultimately depend on the electorate.

“No campaign council is more powerful than the Nigerian people,” he said.