APC restricts campaign spokespersons to Yari, Alake, Idris

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has reorganised its Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications to tighten control over official messaging.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Chief of Staff to the President and Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the Council, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced the changes.

Under the new arrangement, only three officials are authorised to speak on behalf of the council: the campaign’s Director-General, Abdulaziz Yari; the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, as official spokesperson; and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris.

“To ensure more cohesive, disciplined, and effective public engagement, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has made some changes to the structure of the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications.

“All previously announced persons in this capacity shall henceforth dissolve into the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications as members,” the statement said.

The council also directed media organisations to adjust accordingly.

“Radio and TV stations are hereby advised to take note of these changes and act accordingly. The campaign will delegate appropriate person(s) for appearances where and when necessary,” the statement added.

The latest restructuring came a day after a controversial television appearance by APC campaign spokesperson, Alwan Hassan, who fielded questions during a Channels Television interview over the functionality of Nigeria’s 112 emergency number.

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During the Tuesday appearance on Politics Today, Hassan, while touting the toll number as one of the achievements of the administration, challenged the programme’s anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, to dial the emergency number to demonstrate its functionality.

However, repeated attempts to connect during the live broadcast were unsuccessful.

Hassan suggested that a network problem might have affected the calls, while the presenter questioned the explanation.

The campaign council’s announcement came less than a day after the interview, although Gbajabiamila did not directly link the restructuring to the incident.

With the new arrangement, the APC Presidential Campaign Council has established a narrower channel for official public communication, while other previously designated spokespersons will continue as members of the media and the strategic communications directorate.