President Bola Tinubu has appointed Ibrahim Kabir Masari, his close ally and the All Progressives Congress (APC)'s former vice-presidential placeholder, to a key role within the party's 223-member presidential campaign council. Masari will serve as Deputy Director General for Logistics and Operations, a position that places him at the centre of ground-level coordination for the ruling party's 2027 re-election bid.
Masari, who hails from Katsina state, was originally named as Tinubu's vice-presidential nominee in 2022. He later stepped aside to clear the path for Kashim Shettima, then the former Governor of Borno state, to take the running mate position. Between 2023 and the present period, Masari has served as senior special assistant on political affairs as well as special adviser on political affairs.
The appointment signals the formal activation of the APC's campaign machinery ahead of the January 2027 general elections. The ruling party is assembling its organisational structure in preparation for the contest, with the 223-member list forming the backbone of its presidential campaign council.
Masari's Role and Background
Masari's new appointment as logistics and operations chief places him at the centre of the campaign's ground-level coordination, a role that carries significant responsibility in a country as geographically and logistically complex as Nigeria. His previous experience in the presidency, where he served in both senior special assistant and special adviser capacities on political affairs, positions him for this expanded campaign responsibility.
For Shettima, he has since served as Vice President under Tinubu and has been confirmed again as the APC vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, making him the incumbent running mate heading into the next electoral cycle. This continuity in the ticket underscores the party's strategy of maintaining experienced leadership as it approaches the polls.
Presidency Speaks on APC Campaign List
Meanwhile, the presidency has said the APC Presidential Campaign Council list for the 2027 election has not been withdrawn, although adjustments will be made to the structure. Sunday Dare, the special adviser to President Tinubu on media and public communication, gave the clarification during a recent interview on Channels Television.
Dare explained that the 223-member list remained valid because the campaign structure was not yet complete, with several subcommittees still to be constituted. He noted that the adjustments would refine the structure to ensure effective campaign operations across the country.
Additional Appointments to the Council
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Tinubu named Ade Omole as Deputy Director, Diaspora Mobilisation I, of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, as the ruling party begins building its machinery for the 2027 presidential election. Omole is an ICT executive, legal professional and public affairs strategist. He is a prominent figure in Nigeria's diaspora engagement and is widely recognised as the "Face of the Nigerian Diaspora." Omole is also a diaspora leader and Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Voting Council (NDVC).
These appointments, alongside Masari's, indicate the party's focus on both domestic logistics and diaspora engagement as it prepares for the electoral contest. The formal activation of the campaign machinery through these appointments confirms that campaigning for the 2027 elections is already under way, with the party moving to finalise its organisational structure in the coming months.
