President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday met with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as efforts continued to address concerns surrounding the party’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council.
The closed-door meeting came amid ongoing consultations between the President, APC governors and other senior party leaders over the 223-member campaign council unveiled on August 23, 2026.
The governors arrived at the Presidential Villa shortly before 4pm after participating in the National Economic Council meeting chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
The meeting was part of consultations that reportedly began on Wednesday, with party leaders considering possible adjustments to the campaign council following criticism from some members of the party.
The controversy centred largely on the inclusion of certain party figures facing corruption-related allegations, while other APC members reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of broad consultation before the list was released.
A senior source close to the APC governors said the earlier version of the list had been deleted from the party’s official X account, indicating that changes could be imminent.
“The list is part of the main agenda of the meeting. You can notice that the other controversial list has been deleted from the Twitter handle of the party,” the source said.
Another senior party member questioned the process through which the campaign council was constituted, saying the wider party structure was not adequately consulted.
“Can you believe that the party was not carried along in the formation of the list? The President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters and a few persons in the Presidency came up with the list,” the party member said.
According to the source, the backlash generated by the announcement had prompted the President to intervene, with expectations that some changes would be announced after the consultations.
Details of the proposed adjustments were, however, not made public as of Thursday evening.
The campaign council, as initially announced, has President Tinubu as chairman, while Vice-President Shettima and APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, are vice chairmen.
Former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, was named Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was appointed secretary.
The council comprises various directorates responsible for finance, education, manufacturing, micro, small and medium enterprises, digital operations, grassroots mobilisation, labour relations, faith-based mobilisation and welfare, among others.
Meanwhile, the APC is expected to intensify its social intervention programmes ahead of the 2027 elections as part of efforts to expand its reach among Nigerians and cushion the effects of economic hardship.
Presidential Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, had earlier said the campaign structure remained open to adjustments.
Dare explained that the creation of subcommittees would allow additional party members and political stakeholders to be incorporated into the campaign structure.
“As it is with every other list, there’s a room for subcommittees. Those subcommittees have not been formed, and so many other names will come into that subcommittee,” he said.
He clarified that although the APC had not withdrawn the campaign council list, adjustments could still be made.
“But of course, there will be adjustments. The list is not cast in stone, just like every other list,” Dare added.
When asked whether the development amounted to a review of the campaign council, he said: “Not a review, just adjustments where necessary.”
Dare further explained that the proposed changes would not amount to a complete overhaul of the existing structure.
“Review is wholesale, this is not wholesale,” he said.
