President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly moving to assign FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, a clearly defined role in his 2027 presidential campaign, with the former Rivers State governor expected to coordinate the campaign structure in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to Arise News, citing sources familiar with the emerging campaign structure, the arrangement is designed to utilise Wike’s political network without requiring him to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike is expected to retain his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while mobilising support for President Tinubu’s re-election.
The proposed arrangement comes amid disagreements between Wike and some APC governors over the structure for mobilising support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election. Wike has repeatedly maintained that he does not need to join the APC to support the President.
Meanwhile, former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, is expected to retain his position as Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council and oversee its day-to-day operations.
However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau are reportedly not expected to operate directly under Yari. Instead, the two senior National Assembly leaders are expected to have distinct areas of responsibility and direct lines of responsibility within the broader campaign structure.
The emerging framework is intended to accommodate the different political blocs and influential figures expected to participate in the President’s 2027 campaign while reducing possible overlaps in authority.
In another development, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, is being tipped for a prominent spokesperson role in the campaign.
Keyamo brings previous presidential campaign experience to the proposed structure, having served as a spokesperson and Director of Public Affairs during Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign.
He also played a senior communications role during the 2019 presidential campaign of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The current APC Presidential Campaign Council was formally constituted in August, with Tinubu as chairman, Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda as vice-chairmen, and Yari as Director-General.
State House Abuja
The reported changes would therefore create a broader campaign architecture in which Wike, Akpabio, Barau and other influential figures operate within defined spheres while Yari coordinates the council’s central activities.
