- It Represents The Oppressors Vs Oppressed, Urges Yari To Reject DG Role
- Warns Revenue Boss, Budget DG To Stay Clear Of Partisan Politics
A political storm is brewing over the newly constituted All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, with Rabiu Musa Kwankwas (RMK) the Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) describing the structure as a battle line between Nigerians groaning under economic hardship and political actors seeking to sustain the status quo.
Reacting to the composition of the council, RMK said the lineup offers Nigerians a “clear picture” of the choice confronting them ahead of the 2027 general election, questioning whether the APC is offering a new direction or merely seeking a fresh mandate for the present administration.
According to RMK, many members of the campaign council are political actors who have supported, defended or participated in the current administration.
“This raises a fundamental question: what exactly are they asking Nigerians to vote for in 2027, a new beginning, or the continuation of the same system that has brought severe hardship to our people?” RMK said.
The statement argued that the 2027 election would amount to a contest between what it described as “the oppressed Nigerian masses” and those who have benefited from or sustained the current political system.
RMK painted a grim picture of the country’s socioeconomic conditions, citing soaring food and living costs, unemployment, insecurity and declining opportunities for young Nigerians.
“Families are struggling with the rising cost of food and basic necessities. Young Nigerians face unemployment and diminishing opportunities. Farmers and businesses are struggling to survive, while millions continue to live with insecurity,” the statement said.
He further accused the government of allowing critical sectors, including education, healthcare and other essential public services, to remain under severe pressure.
RMK urged Nigerians to use the 2027 elections to reject what he described as “continued oppression” and demand accountable and people-centred governance.
“This ruling campaign structure presents another scenario between the oppressors and the oppressed,” the statement declared, adding that Nigerians should emulate the electorate in Osun State, where the electorate recently rejected the ruling party’s candidate.
“If Osun people can do it, so can all other parts of the country,” he said.
RMK Appeals To Yari To Reject APC Campaign DG Role
The former Kano State Governor also made a direct appeal to Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, who was recently appointed Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, urging him to reconsider his decision to lead the campaign.
RMK said Yari, as a former governor of Zamfara State and prominent North-West leader, should understand the devastating consequences of insecurity, poverty, unemployment, displacement and destruction of livelihoods.
He argued that Yari’s experience in Zamfara and familiarity with the security and economic difficulties confronting the North-West should make him sensitive to the grievances of residents across the region.
“As a former governor of Zamfara State and a prominent leader from the North-West, I believe Senator Yari has a clear understanding of the devastating consequences of insecurity, poverty, unemployment, displacement and the destruction of livelihoods in the region and the country at large”.
“I will be surprised if, in his good conscience, he will lead a campaign whose principal objective is to secure the continuation of a government under which many of the people he once governed, and other innocent Nigerians remain trapped in these challenges,” RMK said.
Revenue, Budget Chiefs’ Campaign Roles Questioned
The statement also raised questions over the inclusion of the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, and the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Dr Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, in the APC campaign’s fundraising and finance structures.
RMK questioned whether senior officials responsible for managing public revenue and national finances should simultaneously occupy prominent partisan campaign positions.
He urged the Federal Government and the APC to explain how the involvement of the two officials in the campaign structure aligns with the principles of institutional neutrality and public trust.
“The leadership of critical public institutions demands neutrality, integrity and public confidence,” the statement said.
RMK, however, ended his statement with a warning that the political machinery of the ruling party cannot override the power of voters.
“Ultimately, no campaign council is more powerful than the Nigerian people,” it declared.
