2027: Wike, Adeleke, Soludo’s alliance with Tinubu rattles opposition

The appointment of prominent opposition figures to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign council has triggered discontent within the ruling All Progressives Congress and raised fears among opposition candidates that the political alliances could undermine their electoral fortunes.

Findings by Sunday PUNCH across several states revealed growing unease among APC stakeholders in Osun, Anambra and Rivers states, where opposition politicians were appointed to coordinate Tinubu’s campaign, while candidates in the affected opposition parties expressed fears of electoral losses.

Some APC members complained that longstanding party loyalists had been sidelined in favour of politicians from rival parties, while opposition candidates questioned how their leaders could campaign for Tinubu without jeopardising their chances against APC candidates in the National Assembly and state legislative elections.

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, was appointed coordinator for Anambra, while Adeleke, who secured his governorship victory on the platform of the Accord Party, was named coordinator for Osun.

Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, was appointed coordinator for Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.

Although the appointments are expected to strengthen Tinubu’s re-election bid by drawing support from opposition strongholds, findings showed that the arrangements have created competing political interests within the ruling party and opposition platforms.

APC loyalists protest appointments

Some senior APC members, who spoke to Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, expressed displeasure over the appointment of opposition figures as state campaign coordinators.

They warned that the decision could weaken party structures and dampen members’ enthusiasm ahead of the elections.

A party source said the development had unsettled APC stakeholders in Osun, Rivers and Anambra, where influential party members believed they had been overlooked despite their longstanding loyalty to Tinubu and the ruling party.

The source claimed that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, was unhappy that Adeleke had been appointed to coordinate Tinubu’s presidential campaign in the state.

“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 APC chieftain said a similar situation had emerged in Rivers State, where Wike was appointed campaign coordinator instead of the governor.

“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.

According to him, the controversy goes beyond the campaign council appointments, as some party members believe opposition politicians are increasingly being empowered at the expense of loyal APC stakeholders.

“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 warned that the development could affect grassroots mobilisation if aggrieved members decided to withdraw from active campaign activities.l

Source: Punch