The All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled a revised Presidential Campaign Council list, featuring a mix of top government officials, party stalwarts, and recent defectors, in what analysts describe as a strategic move to strengthen the party’s nationwide campaign machinery ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among the prominent names on the revised list are Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; and Dr. Maryam Shetty, a former ministerial nominee and prominent political figure from Kano State.
They are joined by several other senators, governors, and party chieftains.
The inclusion of Nyesom Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a leading figure in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before his appointment into the APC-led federal cabinet, is seen as a significant statement.
His presence on the campaign list underscores the ruling party’s push to consolidate its influence in the South-South geopolitical zone, a region where the opposition has traditionally held sway for years.
Similarly, the listing of Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, is viewed as an effort to shore up the party’s support base in the South-East, a region where the APC has historically struggled to gain traction.
Festus Keyamo, a long-time ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a vocal party spokesperson, brings his trademark combative communication style to the campaign structure. His role is expected to focus on media engagement, public messaging, and countering opposition narratives- something he is known for.
Maryam Shetty: A Loyal Party Foot Soldier Rewarded
For Dr. Maryam Shetty, the appointment is being described by party insiders as a well-deserved recognition of years of quiet but substantial investment in the party and the Tinubu administration.
A medical doctor by training and a politician of considerable grassroots influence in Kano State, Shetty has long been regarded within APC circles as one of the party’s most committed loyalists, a lady who has consistently put her resources, time, and network at the disposal of the party, often without seeking the spotlight.
Sources close to the campaign structure said Shetty has been a major financier and mobiliser for the APC in Kano and across the North-West, funding grassroots outreach, women’s mobilisation programmes, and youth engagement initiatives that have helped sustain the party’s presence in a politically competitive region.
Her investment in the promotion of the Tinubu administration has also been substantial. Shetty has been actively involved in media campaigns and public enlightenment efforts aimed at projecting the policies and achievements of the administration, particularly in northern Nigeria. She has sponsored radio and television programmes, supported online advocacy platforms, and worked with community leaders to build public confidence in the government.
Beyond media, Shetty has also invested heavily in humanitarian and empowerment programmes, efforts that have earned her a loyal following in Kano and beyond.
Her brief nomination as a minister in 2023, which was later withdrawn, did little to dampen her commitment to the party. Instead, party sources say, she doubled down on her support for the administration, remaining a steadfast campaigner and a trusted ally of the president’s political project in the North.
“Dr. Maryam Shetty is the kind of party member every political organisation prays for, loyal, generous, and selfless. She has invested so much of her personal resources in promoting this administration and the party, and this appointment is a fitting reward for that dedication,” a party chieftain told our correspondent.
Her inclusion in the revised campaign list is also seen as a deliberate move by the APC to strengthen its appeal among women and young voters in the North-West, a demographic that will be crucial in the coming elections.
Discussion about this post