APC Asked To Review Sheriff’s 2027 Campaign Appointment

The South West Mandate Group for Asiwaju (SWMG) has pleaded with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to review the appointment of former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as the North-East zonal coordinator of the party’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council.

The group said its action was based on what it described as strategic, reputational and political-communication considerations, rather than any determination of criminal liability against Sheriff.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Adebayo Johnson, SWMG acknowledged that Sheriff had denied allegations associated with aspects of his political history, stressing that such allegations should not be treated as established facts in the absence of a conviction.

Johnson, however, said the continued public debate surrounding Sheriff could have implications for the party’s campaign strategy and public perception.

He said senior campaign officials inevitably become part of the public face of a presidential candidate, adding that their public standing and history could influence how the campaign is perceived by voters.

“Our concern is whether the appointment is strategically capable of strengthening the President’s campaign at a time when the APC should be concentrating on its message, achievements and engagement with voters,” Johnson said.

He added that “the absence of a criminal conviction does not automatically eliminate reputational or political risk” in electoral politics.

According to him, the party must consider not only issues that can be established in court but also whether the public profile of senior campaign officials would assist or hinder its communication with voters.

“SWMG believes that the verdict of the court of public opinion deserves serious consideration by the APC leadership,” he said.

The group noted that public discussions surrounding Sheriff had, over the years, included references to the Galtimari Committee, political developments in Borno State during the period associated with the emergence of Boko Haram, allegations concerning the insurgency and reports of investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Johnson, however, reiterated that the allegations should not be presented as established findings, while noting that Sheriff’s denials should equally be acknowledged.

He said the controversy surrounding the former governor was particularly sensitive in the North-East, a region that had suffered significant human and economic consequences from the insurgency.

“SWMG believes that campaign appointments in the region require particular sensitivity to public confidence and political perception,” he said.

Johnson said the 2027 presidential campaign would require the APC to effectively communicate its positions and record on security, economic opportunities, employment, infrastructure, education and food security, among other issues.

He argued that campaign officials should reinforce those messages rather than create situations in which the party would repeatedly have to respond to controversies surrounding individual members of its campaign structure.

“Political capital is too valuable to be spent unnecessarily defending campaign appointments when the campaign should be communicating its record and vision to Nigerians,” he said.

SWMG urged the APC leadership to reconsider Sheriff’s continued role in the 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, arguing that the appointment could expose the campaign to reputational challenges, distract from its message and affect public confidence.

The group also recommended that the APC adopt a consistent vetting framework for senior campaign appointments, taking into account political experience, public standing, communication capacity, grassroots reach and reputational considerations.

According to Johnson, the intervention was aimed at protecting the image of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and ensuring that the campaign structure effectively communicates the administration’s achievements and plans to Nigerians.

“The credibility of a presidential campaign is inseparable from the credibility of the people entrusted to represent it. Every appointment should therefore be judged by the value it adds to the campaign and the risks it introduces,” he said.

The group urged the APC to consider other political figures from the North-East with what it described as strong public standing and capacity to contribute to the party’s 2027 campaign.