President Bola Tinubu has constituted a five-member Body of Advisers, composed entirely of elder statesmen, to serve on the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 Presidential Campaign Council. The appointments, announced on 27 August 2026, draw from a pool of experienced political figures across Nigeria's geopolitical zones, signalling early preparations by the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Who Are the Five Appointees?
The advisory group brings together former governors and ex-senators with deep roots in Nigerian politics. Each appointee has been selected for their experience and regional representation, according to the announcement.
Chief Bisi Akande is one of the most senior figures in the ruling party. He served as Governor of Osun State from 1999 to 2003 under the Alliance for Democracy and later became a founding member of the APC, serving as its first interim national chairman from 2013. His role in uniting the opposition parties that formed the APC made him a key architect of the political coalition that brought the party to power at the federal level.
Chief Segun Osoba is a veteran journalist and two-time Governor of Ogun State, having served from 1992 to 1993 and again from 1999 to 2003. He remains one of the most respected elder statesmen in south-west Nigeria and has been a consistent voice within the APC and its predecessor parties.
Okorocha and Adamu Bring Legislative and Party Experience
Senator Rochas Okorocha represented Imo West in the Nigerian Senate and previously served two terms as Governor of Imo State from 2011 to 2019. He is one of the more prominent APC figures from the South-East geopolitical zone and has remained active in federal legislative politics. His governorship was marked by notable social programmes, including a controversial free education policy.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu served as Governor of Nasarawa State from 1999 to 2007 and later became the national chairman of the APC, a position he held until 2023. He represents the party's Northern interests and has been a key loyalist within the Tinubu-era APC structure. His experience in party administration at the highest level makes him a valuable adviser as the party begins its push towards retaining the presidency in 2027.
Florence Ita Giwa Adds Gender and South-South Representation
Senator Florence Ita Giwa is a veteran lawmaker from Cross River State who served in the Nigerian Senate. She is widely regarded as one of the pioneering female politicians in Nigeria's post-military democratic era and has been active in national politics across multiple political platforms.
Her appointment brings both gender representation and a South-South perspective to the advisory body, rounding out a geographically diverse group of elder statesmen named to support the APC's 2027 presidential campaign effort.
The appointments come as the APC begins early organisational moves for the 2027 elections, with the advisory body expected to provide strategic counsel to the campaign council. The five-member group's combined experience spans governorship, senate leadership, and party chairmanship, offering a broad base of political knowledge for the ruling party's re-election bid.
