Follow our weekly build-up to the 2027 general election, as we bring you updates on political rhetoric, debates, campaigns and more as Nigeria heads towards the much-anticipated polls.

With months remaining before the election, a lot has been happening as stakeholders and political parties gear up for the polls. Although the official campaign period is yet to begin, several parties and political movements have started setting up their campaign councils, a development that has attracted considerable criticism and pushback.

APC's 223-Member Council Draws Scrutiny

The All Progressives Congress (APC) announced a 223-member committee to oversee its campaign structure and planning. The move attracted criticism from opposition parties, with some questioning the inclusion of certain individuals based on their past records.

Notable among them was Betta Edu, whose involvement in allegations of financial misconduct led to her suspension as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in January 2024. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigated the matter. Her inclusion in the campaign council does not establish guilt. Another was Ngozi Olejeme, former chairperson of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), whose appointment attracted scrutiny due to reported EFCC investigations into alleged financial crimes.

On 22 August 2026, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), through its National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, criticised the inclusion of both figures. He said:

"What should ordinarily be a political task team ends up looking like a rehabilitation system for individuals carrying unresolved questions of corruption and public accountability."

The Allied Peoples' Movement (APM) also criticised the council. Its National Publicity Secretary Abubakar Yusuf described it as an assembly of "disconnected yes-men and discredited politicians."

The APC responded. Kemi Asekun-Shittu, a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu's Presidential Campaign Council, defended the appointments, arguing that allegations alone should not automatically disqualify individuals from political participation. She also acknowledged that the composition was not final. She said:

"The list in itself is not sacrosanct. It will be taken in and readjusted."

A Different Dispute in the NDC Camp

Controversy has not been limited to the APC. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has faced its own disagreement over who controls its proposed Obi-Kwankwaso presidential campaign.

The disagreement has been between the party structure and the support groups mobilising for its candidates, particularly the Obidient Movement. Although the movement established its own campaign council to support the proposed ticket, the division between both camps has created the impression of a power struggle over the direction and control of the campaign.

On 19 September 2026, NDC National Chairman Cleopas Moses issued a statement distancing the party from the campaign council announced by the OK Movement on 17 September. He said:

"The party hereby dissociates itself in totality from the said OK Movement PCC announcement. It did not emanate from the party and should be disregarded by the public and the media."

The statement made the party's position clear: the responsibility for constituting and announcing its official presidential campaign council rests with the party leadership, not an independent support group.

On 24 September 2026, Peter Obi, the NDC's presidential candidate, addressed the issue during an appearance on Arise Television's Prime Time programme. Aligning himself with the position of NDC National Leader, Seriake Dickson, he stressed that support groups should not assume the responsibilities of the political party. He said:

"OK Movement, Obidient group, Kwankwasiyya, and other supporting groups are supporting groups. They must play their role as supporting groups, supporting the party."

He continued:

"They should not play the role of the party. We've found a situation where one of the supporting groups is using the nomenclature, that is, forming Presidential Campaign Council; it shouldn't be. No."

What These Early Disputes Reveal

These developments highlight challenges that extend beyond manifestos and voter mobilisation. For the APC, the issue has been accountability and public perception around the composition of its council. For the NDC, it has been about authority, party discipline and the relationship between a political party and its support base.

The official campaign period has yet to begin, but the early signs suggest the road to 2027 will test not only political messaging but also internal cohesion, transparency and the management of influence within parties.

As preparations continue, the central question is whether parties can resolve these differences and present a united front when campaigns formally commence, or whether disagreements emerging at this early stage will continue to shape their path to the polls.