Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticised the inclusion of senior revenue and budget officials in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council for the 2027 election.
The APC unveiled its 108-member campaign council on Saturday for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, naming Senator Abdulaziz Yari as director-general and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as secretary.
Kwankwaso’s main concern is the appointment of Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), and Taminu Yakubu, director-general of the Budget Office of the Federation. Yakubu was named treasurer of the campaign council, while Adedeji was appointed deputy director of fundraising.
In a statement on Sunday, Kwankwaso argued that placing senior officials responsible for managing public revenue and national finances in partisan campaign positions could undermine confidence in the institutions they lead.
“The leadership of critical public institutions demands neutrality, integrity and public confidence,” he said.
The NDC chieftain said the composition of the APC campaign council should concern Nigerians at a time when households and businesses are facing rising costs. He pointed to unemployment, insecurity and pressure on education, healthcare and other public services as issues that should remain central to the 2027 political debate.
Kwankwaso also urged Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, to reconsider accepting the campaign council’s director-general position. He argued that Yari was familiar with the effects of insecurity, poverty, unemployment and displacement on communities in the North-West.
The former Kano State governor’s running mate to Peter Obi said the 2027 election would be a contest over the direction of Nigeria’s governance. He urged voters to reject what he described as continued oppression and demand leadership focused on accountability and the welfare of citizens.
