Tinubu campaign names Yari, Alake, Idris as only authorised voices

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has restricted the number of officials authorised to speak on behalf of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign to three, following a restructuring of its media and communications directorate.

The approved representatives are Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director-General of the campaign council; Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development; and Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation.

The decision was announced on Wednesday, November 11, by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the campaign council, in a statement titled Reorganisation of Media and Communications Structure.

Gbajabiamila said the changes were introduced to ensure more coordinated, disciplined and effective public engagement on behalf of the campaign.

The directive marks a departure from the original arrangement unveiled on August 22, when the APC constituted its 2027 Presidential Campaign Council and named five official spokespersons.

The initial team was led by Alake, with Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda serving alongside him.

Under the revised structure, Yari and Idris have now been included among the three officials authorised to speak for the council, while Alake retains his position as official spokesperson.

Gbajabiamila clarified that those previously announced as spokespersons would not be removed from the campaign structure but would instead become members of the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications.

The council has also directed radio and television stations to take note of the changes and comply with the new arrangement when seeking official positions from the campaign.

It added that other representatives could still be assigned to participate in media appearances whenever necessary.

Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State and senator representing Zamfara West, was appointed Director-General when Tinubu constituted the campaign council in August.

President Tinubu serves as chairman, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda are vice-chairmen.

The restructuring establishes a narrower channel for official campaign communication as the APC prepares for the 2027 presidential election.