Media Adviser to the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Abimbola Tooki has explained that concerns and subsequent adjustments to the APC Presidential Campaign Council membership should not be interpreted as evidence of a failure of consultation on the part of the party.
"I won't call it a failure. It's actually a strength. Because when there's any human error and you are bold enough to say, 'Okay, we need to make one or two adjustments here and there,' I think it's rather a strength," he said.the composition of the party's 2027 campaign structures followed consultations among party leaders.
Tooki, while speaking on TrustTV's morning show, insisted the members were not imposed by an individual.
"I must say that the list reflects the widespread and inclusive nature of our party. It was not thrown at the party just by somebody," Tooki said.
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He said the list was produced after "widespread deliberation and agreement" to ensure that different segments of the party were represented.
Tooki also defended the inclusion of ministers, heads of government agencies and other political appointees in the campaign structure, arguing that they were members of the APC before their appointments.
"In the first instance, they are political appointees. They are appointed, they are APC members. They are not just from the blues," he said.
He said political appointees were also politicians and could not be expected to remain inactive during an election campaign.
"If you are a political appointee, you are first of all a politician," he said, adding that such officials were also involved in implementing the administration's reforms and therefore had a role in explaining the policies to voters.
Tooki specifically defended the inclusion of the chairman of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in the party's fundraising committee, rejecting suggestions that his participation could give the APC an undue advantage.
"Because he's a political appointee, you have to double task. Apart from performing his administrative role... he's also a political animal," he said.
On concerns that the involvement of government officials in partisan activities could further erode public trust, Tooki said there was nothing constitutionally preventing political appointees from participating in party activities.
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"Rationally speaking, it wouldn't. And also constitutionally speaking, nothing bars people like him," he said.
He also rejected suggestions that government resources could be used to finance the party's political activities, saying APC had sufficient membership to fund its operations.
"Our party is such that we get our money from our members," he said, saying the party has more than 12 million members who pay annual dues.
"Not government money. How can you spend government money for our personal political activities? It's not possible," he added.
On concerns over the inclusion of former officials facing allegations or legal controversies, Tooki said allegations should not be treated as convictions.
"When you say alleged, it is only the courts of competent jurisdiction that can convict," he said.
He argued that being accused or facing a case should not automatically deprive a party member of the right to participate in the party's activities.
"We can't say maybe because you're having one or two cases to answer, you should not exercise your rights within the party," Tooki said.
