Former Kano State Governor and NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has criticised the recently constituted All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, saying Nigerians deserve a “new direction” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso, in a statement, said the composition of the council showed that many of those who had supported, defended or participated in the current administration would again play key roles in the 2027 campaign.
He questioned whether the APC was offering Nigerians a fresh start or seeking to continue with what he described as a system that had brought severe hardship to citizens.
According to him, the 2027 election would be a contest between Nigerians struggling with economic hardship and those who had benefited from or defended the current system.
Kwankwaso said rising food prices, unemployment, insecurity and declining opportunities had continued to affect millions of Nigerians, while farmers and businesses were also struggling to survive.
He added that the education, healthcare and other essential public services remained under significant pressure.
The former governor urged Nigerians to use the 2027 elections to reject what he described as “continued oppression” and demand accountable and people-centred governance.
“If Osun people can do it, so can all other parts of the country,” he said.
Kwankwaso Urges Yari to Reconsider APC Campaign Role
Kwankwaso also appealed to former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, who has accepted to serve as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, to reconsider his decision.
He said Yari, as a former governor and prominent leader from the North-West, understood the challenges of insecurity, poverty, unemployment, displacement and destruction of livelihoods affecting the region and the country.
Kwankwaso questioned whether Yari could, in good conscience, lead a campaign seeking the continuation of a government under which many Nigerians remained trapped in those challenges.
Questions Public Officials’ Campaign Roles
Kwankwaso further raised concerns over the reported inclusion of the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, and the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Dr Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, in the APC campaign’s fundraising and finance structures.
He questioned whether senior officials responsible for managing public revenue and national finances could simultaneously occupy prominent partisan campaign roles.
According to him, the leadership of critical public institutions requires neutrality, integrity and public confidence.
He therefore called on the Federal Government and the APC to explain how the arrangement aligns with institutional neutrality and public trust.
“Ultimately, no campaign council is more powerful than the Nigerian people,” Kwankwaso stated.
