Beyond Party Lines: How Wike, Adeleke, Soludo, Dankwambo Hope To Shape Tinubu’s 2027 Re-Election Coalition

The inclusion of prominent opposition politicians, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, in the revised 2027 Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) highlights the cross-party alliances forming around President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

These politicians have different party affiliations and political backgrounds, but their appointments place them within the ruling party’s campaign structure ahead of the 2027 general election.

Wike is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Soludo belongs to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Adeleke is a member of the Accord Party, while Dankwambo, a former governor, is a PDP senator representing Gombe North.

Their inclusion raises questions about what their political networks, governing experience, and regional influence could contribute to Tinubu’s re-election bid.

1. Nyesom Wike: Campaign Coordinator in Rivers and the FCT

Wike’s appointment places him in charge of campaign coordination in Rivers State, where he served as governor from 2015 to 2023, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he currently serves as minister.

Despite remaining a member of the PDP, Wike has publicly supported Tinubu’s re-election. In March 2026, he reiterated his support for a second term while maintaining that the PDP could still field candidates in other elections. As leader of the Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party political platform that has been brushed off by APC governors, Wike hopes to use his team to galvanise more votes for the president.

2. Ademola Adeleke: Osun State Campaign Coordinator

Adeleke’s appointment is significant because he won re-election as Osun State governor in August 2026 on the Accord Party ticket. Before becoming governor in 2022, he represented Osun West in the Senate.

His reported role as Tinubu’s campaign coordinator in Osun places him at the centre of efforts to engage stakeholders in a state where the APC and opposition parties have competed for political control.

3. Chukwuma Soludo: Anambra State Campaign Coordinator

Soludo’s inclusion provides the APC campaign with a link to a governor whose political base is rooted in APGA rather than the ruling party.

Re-elected as Anambra State governor in November 2025, Soludo said in March 2026 that APGA would not field a presidential candidate in 2027 and expressed support for Tinubu’s second-term bid. He argued that cooperation with the federal government could benefit Anambra State.

APGA subsequently welcomed his inclusion in the campaign council, describing it as consistent with the party’s position on cooperation with the federal government.

4. Ibrahim Dankwambo: Campaign Council Adviser

Dankwambo, a PDP senator representing Gombe North, served as governor of Gombe State from 2011 to 2019. He also served as Accountant-General of the Federation before becoming governor.

Unlike Wike, Adeleke, and Soludo, whose reported appointments involve coordinating campaigns in specific locations, Dankwambo has been named a campaign council adviser. The revised list does not specify the scope of his responsibilities.

Others

Segun Sowunmi: Media and Communications Directorate

Although Sowunmi has historically been a chieftain of the PDP and served as the spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign, he began laying the groundwork for this political shift earlier in the year.

In September 2026, Sowunmi publicly declared his support for President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, arguing that Nigeria needs “policy continuity” rather than a change of leadership every four years.

Lere Olayinka: Media and Communications Directorate

Lere Olayinka has been appointed to the campaign’s Media and Strategic Communications Directorate. He will handle media operations alongside Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo, lawmaker Abdulmumin Jibrin, and Segun Sowunmi.

The directorate operates under the coordination of Information Minister Idris Malagi and campaign spokesperson Dele Alake.

Why Their Inclusion Matters

The appointments highlight the role of politicians outside the APC in Tinubu’s 2027 campaign structure. Their potential value lies in their regional connections, experience in public office, and ability to engage political stakeholders beyond the ruling party’s membership.

However, while these relationships could strengthen the campaign’s reach, their actual impact will depend on how effectively the politicians mobilise supporters and whether their influence translates into votes.