NDYC Urges Tinubu To Prioritise Credibility, Not Loyalty In North‑East Campaign Pick

The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise credibility over loyalty by reconsidering the appointment of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the North‑East Zonal Campaign Coordinator for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement signed by National Coordinator Comrade Israel Uwejeyan, the youth group said the North‑East still grappling with insecurity, displacement and economic hardship needs campaign leadership that commands broad public confidence. The NDYC warned that Sheriff’s selection could create political and reputational challenges that distract from the administration’s message in the region.

“Let us be clear: the issue is not whether Senator Sheriff has been convicted of a criminal offence. He has not. The issue is whether every politically possible appointment is necessarily a politically wise appointment, the statement said. The group emphasised the difference between the legal presumption of innocence and the strategic suitability of an individual for a sensitive campaign role,” it stated.

The NDYC argued that controversies and historical allegations linked to Sheriff could give opponents an opportunity to shift the campaign’s focus away from President Tinubu’s policies and programmes. It urged the APC to consider the public perception and credibility implications of appointments likely to generate controversy.

Highlighting security challenges in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the organisation said campaign messaging in the North‑East should center on security, reconstruction, economic recovery, youth empowerment and restoring public confidence. It suggested that the APC has several experienced, less controversial figures in the region who could coordinate the campaign more effectively.

While acknowledging Tinubu’s prerogative to appoint campaign officials, the NDYC said political leadership also requires recognising when a decision could become a liability.

“A campaign organisation is not a constitutional entitlement. It is a strategic instrument,” the group said, adding that removing Sheriff would not be an admission of wrongdoing but a demonstration of political sensitivity.

The NDYC stressed that its stance was not an attack on Sheriff or the North‑East, but a call to protect the credibility and effectiveness of the President’s campaign. It urged the APC and the Presidential Campaign Council to select a “fresh, credible and broadly acceptable figure” to lead efforts in the North‑East and to prioritise the broader electoral objective over individual loyalty.

The group further added that the 2027 election should be contested on President Tinubu’s record and vision for Nigeria rather than on alleged controversies surrounding members of his campaign team.