Despite the commencement of presidential and National Assembly campaigns for the 2027 election in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026, major political parties are yet to inaugurate their campaign councils, investigations by the Nigerian Tribune has revealed.

Findings by the Nigerian Tribune indicate that in line with the 2026 Electoral Act, presidential and National Assembly campaigns were expected to have been kick-started from August 19.

But two weeks after the deadline, political parties are still delaying the inauguration of their campaign councils.

Though the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) announced its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) on August 22, the party is yet to inaugurate the body.

But the National Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, said in an interview on Sunday that campaigns can go on with or without the inauguration of the presidential campaign committees, whether the body has been formally inaugurated or not.

Bashiru said that the party has commenced its campaigns, notwithstanding the delay in formally inaugurating the PCC.

The case is similar in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), whose National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said that the campaign committee would soon be inaugurated.

Party leaders spoken to by our correspondents said on Sunday that the failure to inaugurate the PCC should not delay the campaigns, just as the leadership of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) said that it would inaugurate its PCC on Monday (today).

We have commenced campaigns without formal inauguration of PCC— APC National Secretary

The APC said that the anxiety over the formal inauguration of the PCC was needless.

The Presidency had, on August 22, released the list of members of the PCC, with President Bola Tinubu emerging as the Chairman of his campaign team.

Former Zamfara State Governor and Senator representing Zamfara West, Abdulaziz Yari, was announced as Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was picked as Secretary.

Speaking with Nigerian Tribune in a telephone interview, Senator Bashiru disclosed that the inauguration of PCC was a mere ceremony, as he noted that certain members of the campaign council have since commenced campaigns for the party presidential candidate.

He said: “Nothing is really delaying the inauguration. In fact, I can tell you that campaigns have started. When we are ready, we will do a formal inauguration.

“You must have noticed that we have started our campaigns already. The party’s national leadership was in Kano on Saturday, where we received the likes of Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Hanga Rufai, and others who joined our party.

“Also on Saturday, there was an elaborate event in Ikwerre in Rivers State. The Director-General of the Campaign Council, Senator Yari, was also in Gusau to receive those who joined the party in Zamfara State.

“So, we don’t have to wait until formal inauguration before we start to talk to the electorate. We have started our campaigns. When we are ready, we will do the formal inauguration.”

ADC to announce campaign council, inauguration date soon – Bolaji Abdullahi

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said it will soon announce its National Campaign Council and the date for its inauguration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this on Sunday in Abuja while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune.

Abdullahi, while responding to questions on the delay in constituting the council, said the party is not under any time pressure.

“I told you earlier that you can’t be talking of delay when you don’t have a deadline. So, we will announce the campaign council when we are ready and announce the date of inauguration. We will announce it soon,” he said.

The ADC spokesman did not give a specific date for the announcement, but said consultations within the party are ongoing to ensure that the council reflects the party’s strategy for the 2027 polls.

The party has in recent months been repositioning itself and attracting new members as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the next general elections.

Party leaders say the campaign council, when constituted, will be saddled with the responsibility of driving the ADC’s mobilisation, messaging and election strategy nationwide.

We won’t constitute campaign council yet—Accord

The Accord Party, however, presents a different picture, where its national leadership said that they would not constitute a presidential campaign council in the absence of a presidential candidate to fly the party flag.

There has been a tug of war between the leadership of the party and the presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo Hashim, in recent months.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, national publicity secretary of Accord, Joseph Omorogbe, said it is left for the National Working Committee (NWC) to decide the next line of action as the party reconvenes for an extraordinary meeting to inform Nigerians on who will be flying the party’s flag in next year’s presidential election.

He said: “We have not come up with our final decision on that matter. Like I told you the other time as the mouthpiece of the party, I will be communicating to Nigerians who our presidential candidate will be. That was exactly my position before I left for the Osun poll.

“That’s our position, and we’ve not taken our stand on it, and I believe very soon, we are in a new month now, we are reconvening an extraordinary meeting where we shall be telling Nigerians who our presidential candidate is and how we intend to work in line with the electoral provision in Nigeria.”

We will do things differently – PDP

Almost three weeks after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) opened the window for campaigns, some parties, including the PDP, have not announced their campaign plans.

When asked to explain the reason for the delay, the National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, told the Nigerian Tribune that the PDP would make a decision on how to go about it at its own discretion and not because it must follow another political party’s example.

“The PDP does not take decisions simply because of what people think or say. We make decisions when it is right for us to do so and, more importantly, when the time is right.

“It is not about how early we act, but about how well we act and the outcome we achieve,” he said.

Mohammed added that at the appropriate time, the party would update Nigerians.

“At the appropriate time, we shall speak to Nigerians,” he added.

He spoke amid speculation that the PDP might be in a quandary over the way forward due to the decision of the national leader of the party, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, who had declared support for President Tinubu’s reelection.

Findings indicated that even the fate of the PDP’s presidential candidate, Senator Sandy Ojang Onor, remained uncertain as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party chaired by Honourable Abdulrahman Mohammed was said to be awaiting further directives from the national leader.

Another party source the newspaper contacted on Sunday disclosed that not much had happened regarding campaigns because the minister holds the aces.

“I think the party is waiting for that critical moment for things to be sorted out.

“It may be that the PDP will downplay its own presidential interest, while fully backing Tinubu, but will contest all other offices; governors, National Assembly and so on, the source revealed.

APM to inaugurate campaign council today

Meanwhile, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has announced the formal commencement of its 2027 presidential campaign, with its candidate, Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, scheduled to inaugurate the party’s presidential campaign office in Abuja on Monday (today).

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Abubakar Yusuf, who disclosed this, said the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Office would serve as the national coordinating hub for the campaign.

Yusuf said the campaign would be issue-based and people-driven, focusing on the policy choices and governance record of Makinde, who is contesting the presidency alongside Alhaji Lawan Daura, the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

He said, “The Makinde/Daura campaign will focus on solutions while presenting the candidate’s policy choices and proven record of governance to the electorate.”

According to him, the party was beginning the campaign with “confidence, humility and an unwavering commitment” to offer Nigerians a credible alternative capable of restoring hope, security, prosperity and national pride.

Yusuf said the emergence of Makinde and Daura as the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates had triggered a surge in membership and support for the APM, which he attributed to confidence in their records of integrity and public service.

He described Makinde’s candidacy as a combination of “competence, youthful energy, administrative experience and broad public acceptance” needed to build a safer, more prosperous, united and functional Nigeria.

The APM spokesman said the party’s presidential candidate had, in preparation for the campaign, embarked on extensive consultations with political leaders, stakeholders and communities across the country.

He said the consultations were aimed at understanding the aspirations and concerns of Nigerians and developing a comprehensive national agenda to address the country’s pressing challenges.

Yusuf added that the party would soon unveil a comprehensive policy blueprint containing practical and measurable solutions to the challenges confronting Nigerians and setting out Makinde’s vision for a better-governed Nigeria.

LP still marking time

In the Labour Party (LP), preparations are on to unveil a campaign council soon, though the newspaper hasn’t established the exact launch date. (Nigerian Tribune)