APC Campaign Council Adds Wike, Adeleke, Soludo

Reactions vary over the addition of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 national election. While some within the Ebonyi State APC branch view the move as unjust to loyal party members, an APGA state official has endorsed the choice, stating it aims to expand President Bola Tinubu’s base of support.

The revised council list comprises high-profile politicians from diverse political parties, including governors and key legislators nationwide. Wike handles campaign operations for Rivers State and the FCT, while Adeleke and Soludo are tasked with leading the APC’s efforts in Osun and Anambra states, respectively. However, the appointments have sparked backlash from certain Ebonyi State APC members, who argue such prominent opposition figures in the ruling party’s council could weaken loyalty to the party among established members.

Polycarp Obinna Alegu, a media aide to the Ebonyi State APC chairman, expressed concerns on Facebook, urging Tinubu to reconsider the inclusion of Wike, Soludo, and Adeleke. He argued that while these opposition politicians could back Tinubu’s campaign, they should not be integrated into the party’s campaign structure unless they officially join the APC.

Alegu, an APC member since 2015, believed this arrangement could dissuade loyal party members and questioned why opposition politicians from other parties were appointed to coordinate the APC’s campaigns in states where the ruling party already has its own members and structures. Alegu warned that the move could foster anti-party activities, urging Tinubu to consider the views of party loyalists and consider that dissatisfaction could arise among those who have long supported the APC.

However, Kingsley Nwanga, another Facebook user, defended the decision, arguing that political strategies and influential figures often determine campaign structures. Nwanga questioned why a sitting governor would be passed over in favor of opposition politicians when the goal was to garner electoral support for the President in each state.

He contended that sitting governors hold considerable political sway and grassroots networks that could aid in mobilising voters, asserting that alliances formed through shared interests often shape political partnerships. In contrast to the dissent from some APC members, APGA chieftain and political analyst in Ebonyi State, Comrade Godwin Iteshi, praised Tinubu for incorporating opposition politicians into the presidential campaign council.

Iteshi viewed the decision as a strategic maneuver to broaden the President’s support base ahead of the 2027 election. He encouraged Tinubu to extend this approach to other states, particularly in the South-East region, where cross-party cooperation could fortify the President’s backing. Iteshi cited the efforts of APGA candidates in Ebonyi North Senatorial District and the Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency, who are supporting Tinubu and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru despite belonging to a different political party.

He maintained that their involvement should be seen as an opportunity to create a larger coalition rather than a threat to party loyalty. Iteshi noted that the APGA and PDP members in Ebonyi State are backing Tinubu and Nwifuru’s re-election bids.