Denge Josef Onoh, the former South-East Spokesman for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, has criticised the newly released 223-member All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) list for the 2027 elections.
In a strongly-worded memorandum addressed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Onoh raised an alarm over what he termed the “heavy marginalization” of major party stakeholders and foundational loyalists from the South-East geopolitical zone
He said the list, as currently configured, is “heavily tainted by tribalism, personal interests, and extreme selfishness”, posing a fatal threat to the President’s re-election bid
Onoh presented a stark comparative analysis between the victorious 2023 campaign structure and the newly released 2026/2027 line-up, highlighting a deliberate agenda to freeze out the South-East region:
“In 2023, the campaign council operated an all-inclusive framework that welcomed voluntary, dedicated regional actors who risked their safety and resources to secure victory in hostile terrains”
“The Rise of Selfish Interests: Those entrusted with compiling the 2026 list completely abandoned national cohesion They filled the council with a narrow circle of individuals driven by personal ambition and nepotism.
“Monopolization of Key Organs: Apart from statutory roles, major operational, policy, and management directorates lack formidable South-East representation, leaving party loyalists in the zone with no sense of ownership in the campaign”
The former campaign spokesman did not spare the campaign’s communication wing, saying the current crop of spokespersons and media handlers were completely ill-equipped for the task ahead
“With the strict exception of only two persons who possess genuine fire and strategic depth, the current media team completely lacks the political tenacity and intellectual grit to face the opposition’s sophisticated PR machinery,” Onoh stated
He warned that leaving battle-tested media generals out of the loop creates a soft target for the opposition Furthermore, it gives marginalized party loyalists the perfect justification to freely deploy their structures, resources, and local influence to work for rival political parties.
To prevent an “embarrassing electoral disaster”, Onoh implored President Tinubu to take immediate executive action to save the party:
“Purge the Campaign Council: Order an immediate, diligent review of the 223-man list to eliminate the tribalism and narrow biases injected by self-serving handlers”
“Restore Geopolitical Balance: Re-integrate foundational South-East party leaders and grassroots mobilizers into core operational and decision-making roles
“Overhaul the Communication Team: Reconstruct the media wing by bringing back vocal, resilient, and politically savvy operators capable of dominating the national discourse and dismantling opposition propaganda
“Mr President, do not let the short-sighted selfishness of a few handlers ruin the future of your administration. You cannot win a national re-election by shrinking your support base and telling an entire region they have no stake in your campaign,” Onoh concluded.