Controversy has continued to trail the composition of the 2027 All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, particularly the inclusion of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu; former Chairperson of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Board, Ngozi Olejeme; and Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji.
The names of members of the campaign council were released over the weekend, with Edu designated Director of Women Mobilisation, Olejeme appointed South-South Zonal Director for Election Planning, Coordination and Mobilisation, and Adedeji named Deputy Director of Fundraising.
The appointments have generated questions from lawyers and political observers, particularly over the previous allegations against Edu and Olejeme, as well as the participation of a serving revenue chief in partisan fundraising.
Edu was suspended as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs in January 2024 following allegations surrounding the approval of N585 million in public funds for payment into a private bank account.
She was subsequently questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the matter. She was later removed from office during a cabinet reshuffle, although the outcome of the investigation into the allegations against her has not been publicly disclosed.
Olejeme has also faced several allegations relating to financial impropriety. She was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged N1 billion money-laundering case and had previously been accused of diverting funds belonging to the NSITF while serving as chairperson of its board.
The EFCC declared her wanted in 2017 over allegations including criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering involving about N69 billion. In 2020, a Federal High Court in Abuja also ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 properties allegedly linked to her.
While Edu and Olejeme have not been convicted over the allegations, critics argue that their inclusion in the campaign structure could raise questions about the image and credibility of the ruling party ahead of the 2027 election.
Adedeji’s appointment has generated a different concern, with critics questioning the propriety of a serving chairman of the country’s revenue-collecting agency taking responsibility for fundraising for a political campaign.
The concern, according to critics, is that his official responsibility for generating revenue for the government could create a perception of conflict of interest, even without evidence that public funds have been or would be diverted to the campaign.
The APC Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, could not be reached for comments, while the campaign council’s spokesman was also unavailable. A member of the campaign’s Media and Strategic Communication team said the council had yet to be formally inaugurated and that officials would be able to speak more fully after the inauguration.
An APC chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said only the Presidency could explain the rationale behind the selection of the individuals.
The party chieftain defended Edu, arguing that the allegations against her had not resulted in a conviction. He also dismissed concerns about Adedeji’s fundraising role, saying his membership of the campaign council did not automatically mean he would have access to government revenue.
People’s Opinion
However, lawyers have expressed divergent views on the appointments, with some drawing a distinction between what is legally permissible and what is ethically appropriate.
Kano-based lawyer Umar Usman Danbaito said there was no legal barrier to appointing Edu to the campaign council but argued that her inclusion could raise moral and ethical concerns because of the allegations against her.
Danbaito also questioned Adedeji’s involvement, describing the appointment as inappropriate and arguing that a public officer responsible for generating revenue for the country should not simultaneously be involved in raising funds for a political campaign.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kunle Kalejaye, however, defended the appointments, stressing the constitutional principle that an accused person remains innocent until proven guilty.
Kalejaye argued that there was no constitutional provision preventing Edu from participating in the campaign and maintained that allegations should not be treated as proof of guilt.
He also defended Adedeji’s inclusion, challenging critics to identify a specific law or constitutional provision that barred the NRS chairman from accepting a role within his political party’s campaign structure.
Another SAN, Taiye Oniyide, took a more cautious position, saying that while he was unaware of any specific law prohibiting Adedeji’s appointment, his involvement could create an undesirable perception because of his responsibility for generating government revenue.
Oniyide said the issue was more about morality, public confidence and the appearance of a conflict of interest than a clear breach of the law. He warned that the involvement of serving officials in partisan activities could also fuel speculation that political loyalty might later be rewarded with government appointments.
Another SAN, Mumini Jimoh, disagreed with the criticism, arguing that membership of a campaign council was not equivalent to holding a statutory government appointment.
Jimoh said the President was entitled to choose individuals he believed could deliver his political objectives, stressing that the real issue would arise only if any public official used government resources or abused official authority to finance campaign activities. He maintained that any such misconduct could be investigated by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.
The divergent legal opinions have therefore shifted the controversy beyond the question of whether the appointments are lawful to broader concerns about ethics, public confidence and the separation between official government responsibilities and partisan political activities as the APC prepares for the 2027 presidential election.
