morganaBLE Politics/election
Although the appointments are expected to strengthen Tinubu’s re-election prospects by expanding his political support beyond the APC, the arrangement has raised questions about the future of opposition parties and their candidates in the affected states
KaNo —
The appointment of prominent opposition politicians to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign council has sparked discontent within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), raising concerns over divided loyalties and the electoral fortunes of opposition parties ahead of the general elections.
The development has generated unease among APC stakeholders in Osun, Anambra and Rivers states, where politicians belonging to opposition parties have been appointed to coordinate the President’s campaign.
Some party loyalists expressed dissatisfaction with the appointments, alleging that longstanding APC members had been sidelined in favour of influential politicians from rival political platforms.
The controversy followed Tuesday’s unveiling of the expanded Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council, which named Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke; and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as campaign coordinators.
Soludo, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was appointed coordinator for Anambra State, while Adeleke, who won his governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party, was named coordinator for Osun State.
Wike, a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was appointed campaign coordinator for Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.
Although the appointments are expected to strengthen Tinubu’s re-election prospects by expanding his political support beyond the APC, the arrangement has raised questions about the future of opposition parties and their candidates in the affected states.
Political stakeholders expressed concerns that opposition leaders campaigning for Tinubu could undermine their parties’ chances in governorship, National Assembly and state legislative elections, particularly where candidates would be contesting against the APC.
The situation has also revived memories of the 2003 general elections, when the Alliance for Democracy supported former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s re-election but subsequently lost five of the six South-West states under its control.
Some APC members fear that the new political alliances could weaken existing party structures and create divisions among grassroots supporters expected to mobilise votes for Tinubu.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior APC member during an interview with Punch News,disclosed that the appointments had generated dissatisfaction among influential party stakeholders who believed their loyalty and contributions had not been adequately recognised.
The source particularly identified Osun State, where former governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, was reportedly displeased with Adeleke’s appointment as the President’s campaign coordinator.
According to the source, some APC members considered Oyetola the natural leader of the party in Osun and expected him to occupy a prominent position in coordinating Tinubu’s campaign.
“This development is unsettling some of our members in the states. For example, the former governor of Osun State, Oyetola, who should ordinarily be the party’s leader in the state, is unhappy that the APC Presidential Campaign Council sidelined him and appointed the incumbent governor, who is a member of the Accord Party, as the state coordinator. Members of the party are also unhappy with the decision,” the source said.
The party chieftain explained that similar concerns had emerged in Rivers State following Wike’s appointment instead of the state governor.
He added that APC stakeholders in Anambra were equally uncomfortable with Soludo’s selection, arguing that party members who had consistently supported Tinubu deserved greater recognition.
“Similarly, in Anambra State, party leaders who have worked for the President and the APC for years have expressed concerns over the arrangement with the state governor, Charles Soludo, who belongs to the All Progressives Grand Alliance,” the source added.
The source warned that the growing dissatisfaction could affect the commitment of party members during electioneering activities, particularly at the grassroots level.
He maintained that some APC loyalists were beginning to question whether their contributions to the party were appreciated by its national leadership.
“This is already causing disaffection and dampening the morale of our members. Some members are no longer willing to give their all because they feel the party does not believe in them.
“They believe the party’s campaign council has overlooked them and instead considered opposition leaders worthy of the appointments. This is causing discontent among party members. How the affected members will work together under this arrangement remains uncertain,” he stated.
Another APC source expressed similar concerns, warning that the leadership must urgently address grievances arising from the appointments to prevent possible setbacks during the presidential election.
The source argued that political mobilisation depended heavily on committed party members, particularly those responsible for coordinating activities at ward and local government levels.
“There is no way some party members will not feel unhappy about this arrangement. Those who have worked for the party and hoped to be appointed to the campaign council will naturally be disappointed that opposition leaders, who are not even members of the APC, have been given positions they had hoped to occupy.
“This could dampen their morale. My concern is that I hope the President and other APC leaders will find a way to harmonise the arrangement to prevent it from affecting the President himself.
“If party members decide to remain onlookers rather than actively participate in the campaign, it could have serious consequences for the party,” the source warned.
Meanwhile, the appointments have also raised concerns over the political implications for opposition candidates seeking elective positions under the platforms of the PDP, APGA and Accord Party.
The arrangement creates a situation in which opposition leaders are expected to campaign for an APC presidential candidate while simultaneously supporting their parties’ candidates contesting against the ruling party in other elections.
However, a member of the Presidential Campaign Council’s media team, Segun Showunmi, dismissed suggestions that the appointments would weaken the ruling party or jeopardise Tinubu’s re-election prospects.
Showunmi maintained that disagreements were normal in a large political organisation, expressing confidence that affected stakeholders would eventually unite behind the President.
“All the governors, stakeholders and even opposition leaders appointed as coordinators are expected to deliver their states. All of them are going to work collectively for the President, including APC members at the state, ward and local government levels, where the votes come from. They are going to work in the interest of the President,” he stated.
Despite the assurances, the emerging political alliances have continued to generate debate over their implications for party loyalty, internal cohesion and electoral competition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
