2027: Why APC opted for ‘Rainbow campaign council’
By Hussein Yahaya (Abuja), Sani Ibrahim Paki (Kano) & Mumini Abdulkareem (Ilorin) The revised list of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 Presidential Campaign Council signals a strategic shift in Nigeria’s…
The APC's decision to brand its 2027 Presidential Campaign Council a "Rainbow campaign council" reflects the party's attempt to project a broad, inclusive coalition ahead of President Bola Tinubu's expected re-election bid. Presidential campaign councils in Nigeria are typically large, unwieldy bodies that bring together governors, ministers, party chieftains, and leaders from various regions and interest groups, serving as much to signal political alliances and reward loyalists as to coordinate campaign strategy. The inclusion of figures like Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who defected to the APC, points to the ruling party's push to widen its coalition beyond its traditional base, including courting politicians from opposition strongholds.
The coverage also highlights internal party messaging about honesty in campaigning, with APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda reportedly urging council members to acknowledge the federal government's challenges rather than only tout achievements — an approach that could shape how the party manages public expectations amid ongoing economic difficulties. While Daily Trust focuses on the strategic rationale behind the council's composition and its implications for 2027 politics, Punch's coverage centres on the inauguration event itself and the chairman's remarks to members, leaving details such as the full membership list, specific roles, and the council's operational timeline yet to be fully reported.