Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) chieftain, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has criticised the newly constituted All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, describing it as a gathering of political actors who have “supported, defended or participated in the present administration.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, Kwankwaso said the composition of the council offers Nigerians “a clear picture of the choice before us in the 2027 general election,” questioning whether the ruling party was offering citizens a fresh start or a continuation of existing governance.
“What exactly are they asking Nigerians to vote for in 2027, a new beginning, or the continuation of the same system that has brought severe hardship to our people?” he asked.
The former governor described the coming election as a contest between ordinary Nigerians and those who have benefited from the current system.
He pointed to rising food prices, unemployment among young people, struggling farmers and businesses, insecurity, and pressure on education and healthcare services as evidence of hardship across the country.
“I see the 2027 election as a struggle between the oppressed Nigerian masses and those who have benefited from, defended and sustained the system responsible for their hardship,” Kwankwaso said, urging Nigerians to reject what he called continued oppression, citing Osun State as an example other parts of the country could follow.
He specifically appealed to Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, a former Zamfara State governor named Director-General of the campaign council, to reconsider his role. Kwankwaso said Yari, as a North-West leader, understood the effects of insecurity, poverty and displacement in the region and should be reluctant to lead a campaign aimed at sustaining a government under which such problems persist.
Kwankwaso also raised concerns about the inclusion of the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, and the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, in the council’s fundraising and finance structures, arguing that their positions require neutrality.
“The leadership of critical public institutions demands neutrality, integrity and public confidence,” he said, calling on the government and APC to explain how the arrangement aligns with institutional neutrality and public trust.
He concluded by asserting that “no campaign council is more powerful than the Nigerian people.”
