Protest Trails Tinubu’s Campaign Council, NRS Chairman, Betta Edu Face Criticism as President Reviews List
The President Bola Tinubu’s campaign council unveiled of Saturday August 22, 2026 is currently being reviewed FACTSHEET can confirm,
The review of the campaign council containing over 300 names is being questioned following protests and concerned raised from within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and voices from outside the party over the inclusion or non-inclusion of some individuals in the campaign council.
On the one hand, concerns have been raised over the inclusion of the Chairman of Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), (formerly Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)) , Mr. Zach Adedeji and the Director-General of the the Budget Office of the Federation, Dr. Tanimu Turaki Kurfi.
On the other hand, the inclusion of Dr. Beta Edu who was earlier sacked as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs by President Bola Tinubu on account of corruption allegation and the former Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mrs. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme has also raised eyebrows within the party, Olejeme is currently facing corruption charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A senior party official who spoke to FACTSHEET on the condition of anonymity noted that “the review is normal so that the president can get a water-tight campaign team.” The source, however admitted that “the inclusion of certain persons in the campaign team may cause more harm than good.”
He advised that such “individuals due to their knowledge and technical capabilities may better make their input from the background without necessarily leading in the front, after all when the president returns, he understands how to reward people that helped him.”
Aside from the inclusion of several individuals that are currently facing corruption charges, the list is also being subtly challenged for non-inclusion of other key stakeholder, including governors.
The governors of Ebonyi, Rivers, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives among other key party members has also caused a disquiet in the ruling party. For some, the non-inclusion of key public officials points to a “verdict” on the affected person, while others believe that it was an honest omission.
In the area of communications, a party official from the South South region told FACTSHEET that “I don’t understand why only people from the Southwest are deemed able to speak for the campaign.”
The a apc senior official told the newspaper that within the “next one week a new list will be published and the president will then officially inaugurate the campaign council.