Makinde’s camp criticises Tinubu’s campaign council lineup
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) has criticised the composition of President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council, describing it as a “Nebuchadnezzar Coalition heading for the rocks”.
The organisation’s Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Ihediwa, made the remarks in a statement on Wednesday, following the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council by Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
The MDPCO faulted the inclusion of political figures from different parties in the council, specifically naming Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as examples of the political diversity within the council.
According to the organisation, the presence of influential political figures would not shield the Tinubu administration from public dissatisfaction over economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and rising poverty, insisting that the coalition could not erase the challenges confronting Nigerians.
“This ‘Nebuchadnezzar Coalition’ is headed for the rocks as it cannot whitewash the failures of the Tinubu administration, nor rewrite the painful realities confronting citizens,” the statement said.
The organisation also questioned the administration’s handling of poverty, education and healthcare, citing figures it attributed to reports on multidimensional poverty and deprivation in Nigeria, while expressing concern over hunger and unemployment among young people. It argued that the country’s challenges required accountability and measurable results rather than the gathering of influential political figures.
“Elections are not won by the size of a campaign council or the number of powerful figures gathered. They are won by the confidence of citizens who must ultimately decide whether their lives have improved under the government seeking their votes,” the organisation added, maintaining that the APC’s campaign council and the advantages of incumbency could not override Nigerians’ right to demand accountability through the ballot.
The MDPCO also expressed confidence in the presidential ambition of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde under the Allied People’s Movement (APM), describing his candidacy as an opportunity to “reset Nigeria”. The criticism comes amid political activities ahead of the 2027 general election, with the organisation using the council’s inauguration to question the Tinubu administration’s record and the APC’s political strategy.
