The All Progressives Congress has appointed Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to head its 155-member Campaign Advisory Council as the party begins preparations for the 2027 presidential and governorship elections.
The council, announced on Tuesday by the APC state leadership, brings together former governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives, former military administrators and other influential party figures to provide strategic direction for the party’s campaign activities in Kano State.
The APC State Chairman, Umar Haruna Doguwa, said the advisory body was established to guide the party’s preparations ahead of the elections, with the governor serving as its chairman.
Among the prominent members are former governors Ibrahim Shekarau and Abdullahi Ganduje, as well as three former military administrators of the state: Habibu Shuaibu, Lawan Jafaru-Isa and Yakubu Bako.
The council also includes the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, and Senators Kawu Sumaila and Rufa’i Hanga.
All APC candidates and members of the House of Representatives from Kano State are also represented on the council, according to the party.
The composition brings together serving political office holders and former state leaders at a time when political parties are beginning to organise their structures and mobilise supporters ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the APC, the advisory council will provide strategic oversight for the party’s operational 2027 Campaign Directorate. The party said the composition and leadership of the directorate would be announced later.
The arrangement separates the council’s advisory responsibilities from the operational functions of the campaign directorate, which is expected to coordinate campaign activities and implement the party’s electoral strategy.
Yusuf’s appointment places him at the centre of the APC’s campaign preparations in Kano, where he is seeking another term as governor. His position also gives him a leadership role in coordinating the party’s state-level preparations for the presidential election.
The inclusion of Shekarau and Ganduje, both former governors, brings two experienced political figures into the advisory structure. Their participation, alongside federal lawmakers and former military administrators, reflects the party’s decision to assemble representatives from different periods of Kano’s political leadership.
However, the announcement does not, by itself, establish how responsibilities will be shared among the council members or how the advisory body will resolve possible differences over campaign priorities and political interests.
Kano remains an important political arena because of its large electorate and influence in national elections. The APC’s campaign organisation in the state is therefore expected to play a role in coordinating party activities, communicating its agenda and mobilising supporters for its candidates.
The development comes as political parties prepare for the next election cycle, with candidate selection, party alliances and campaign organisation expected to shape preparations across the country.
The APC’s decision also comes amid developments affecting opposition parties in Kano. The Nigeria Democratic Congress has raised concerns over the omission of its governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s published list of candidates. The party has said it is pursuing remedies over the matter.
The issue remains separate from the APC’s campaign council announcement, while the electoral preparations of opposition parties may influence how political competition develops in the state.
The APC has not yet announced the leadership or full membership of its operational campaign directorate, leaving further details of its campaign structure outstanding.
West Trybe reports that the 155-member advisory council marks a formal step in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections in Kano. Its practical role will depend on how it works with the operational campaign directorate, coordinates party stakeholders and translates its strategic responsibilities into organised campaign activities.
