APC Chieftain Obon Faults Tinubu Campaign Council, Says List Was Driven by Patronage

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cletus Obon, has criticised the composition of the party’s presidential campaign council, arguing that the list contains strategic mistakes and appears to have been influenced by patronage.

Obon raised the concerns during an interview on Arise Television, where he questioned whether the party had selected the most suitable people to drive its presidential campaign.

The APC chieftain said the party could have made stronger choices, warning that some of the individuals appointed to the campaign council did not appear to have a clear role in achieving its campaign objectives.

“As an APC member, I can say we may not have made our best choices in the general composition of the campaign list. We may be reserving our best for the worst; there are strategic errors in the list. Most members of the campaign council have no business being there; some of them were put there as an act of patronage,” he said.

Obon’s criticism comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections and begin positioning their campaign structures for the contest.

He maintained that campaign appointments should be based primarily on competence, relevance and strategic value rather than political rewards. In his view, failing to do so could weaken the effectiveness of the APC’s campaign machinery.

The comments have raised fresh questions about the internal strategy of the ruling party and whether its campaign structure is adequately equipped to communicate its message and mobilise voters ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The APC has not publicly responded to Obon’s criticism. The controversy is likely to add to ongoing discussions within the party over campaign planning, political appointments and the need to balance internal interests with electoral strategy.