Ali Ndume Faults Tinubu Over Role In Presidential Campaign Council
The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to chair the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ndume argued that Tinubu, as the presidential candidate and “product” being presented to Nigerians, should not personally lead the campaign council.
The lawmaker, who made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, insisted that the responsibility ought to rest with the party leadership.
According to him, the APC National Chairman should take charge of the presidential campaign structure, while state governors should lead campaigns in their respective states.
“If I had the ear of Mr President, he does not need to be the Presidential Campaign Council chairman. What is the party doing?
“The governors of every state should head the presidential campaign in their respective states, and there should be a coordinating team to coordinate them,” Senator Ndume said.
Recall that Tinubu had last week constituted his Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 elections and appointed himself chairman. Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, were listed as Vice Chairmen I and II respectively. Similarly, former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, was named as Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was designated as Secretary.
Ndume, however, said the President should concentrate on his responsibilities as the head of government and allow the party machinery to coordinate the campaign.
The senator also expressed concern over what he described as the presence of “incapable hands” within the Tinubu administration, warning that their actions could continue to expose the President to avoidable embarrassment.
His comments followed the recent discovery of allegedly fake agencies operating within the Presidency, including the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.
The development reportedly came to light following scrutiny from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
Ndume accused the administration of allowing what he described as “kakistocrats” — people he considers incompetent or unfit — to occupy influential positions within the Presidency.
“President Tinubu has too many kakistocrats that dominate the Presidency. Unless he does something about it, they will keep messing him up.
“It is now a known thing that Nigeria has fake agencies that operate with offices. If the President had capable hands, all these mess and embarrassments wouldn’t be happening,” he said.
The senator further referenced investigations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), saying the exercise uncovered additional irregularities and led to the suspension of some Permanent Secretaries in the Presidency.
He questioned why stronger action had not been taken to prevent similar occurrences, urging the President to address the lapses within his administration.
“And after the ICPC investigated, they discovered even more, and now you have Permanent Secretaries also in the Presidency who had to be suspended. The President is still not taking appropriate action on all these,” Ndume added.
