• Coalition backs Tinubu’s choice of former Borno governor as North-East campaign coordinator, alleges political motive behind renewed attacks
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Grassroots Coalition for Change (GCC) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East Zonal Campaign Coordinator for the 2027 presidential election, describing the decision as a strategic move aimed at strengthening the party’s grassroots mobilisation in the region.
The coalition, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Bello Johnson, also rejected renewed allegations linking Sheriff to the Boko Haram insurgency, describing them as unsubstantiated and politically motivated.
The GCC said Sheriff’s extensive political experience, knowledge of the North-East and relationships with political stakeholders across the region made him well positioned to coordinate the APC’s campaign in the six-states in the zone.
It, however, accused unnamed political interests of launching a fresh media campaign against the former governor immediately after his appointment, arguing that the timing raised questions about the motive behind the attacks.
“Why did these allegations not become an issue then?” the coalition asked, noting that Sheriff had previously occupied senior positions in Nigerian politics, including national chairman of major political parties.
The group alleged that an individual from Katsina State had sustained attacks against Sheriff for about 15 years without producing what it described as credible evidence to substantiate the allegations.
According to the GCC, the renewed campaign against the former Borno governor appeared designed to damage his reputation and weaken his capacity to mobilise political support for President Tinubu in the North-East ahead of the 2027 election.
The coalition specifically rejected attempts to portray Sheriff as the originator of Boko Haram.
“Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is not the originator of Boko Haram. That allegation has never been established,” the group said, urging Nigerians not to treat unproven allegations as established facts.
The controversy surrounding Sheriff has persisted for years, particularly because of the Boko Haram insurgency that erupted into a major security crisis in Borno and other parts of the North-East.
However, the GCC maintained that political allegations should not be presented as established findings without credible evidence.
The coalition said Sheriff’s political record, rather than the renewed accusations, should be the focus of attention as he takes on the responsibility of coordinating the APC’s presidential campaign in the region.
Sheriff, who served as Borno governor from 2003 to 2011, has also occupied prominent positions in national party politics, including leadership roles in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The GCC argued that his experience across different political platforms had exposed him to party administration, electoral strategy, grassroots mobilisation and negotiations among diverse political interests.
It said these attributes would be particularly important in the North-East, where effective political mobilisation requires engagement with elected officials, party structures, traditional institutions, youth and women’s groups and community stakeholders.
The coalition described President Tinubu’s decision to appoint experienced political figures to campaign leadership positions as evidence of a deliberate effort to build campaign structures beyond Abuja.
It said the North-East needed a coordinator with an understanding of the region’s political and social dynamics rather than an individual whose influence was limited to the Federal Capital Territory.
The GCC therefore called on APC members in the six North-East states to rally behind Sheriff and avoid allowing the controversy surrounding him to distract from the party’s campaign preparations.
It also urged Sheriff’s supporters not to respond to the attacks with counter-attacks, arguing that the best response would be effective grassroots mobilisation and a campaign centred on the policies and performance of the Tinubu administration.
“The people of the North-East are capable of deciding who is best positioned to coordinate their political mobilisation,” the coalition said, rejecting what it described as attempts by individuals outside the zone to dictate the region’s political affairs.
The group said the 2027 election should ultimately be decided by voters on the basis of competing political programmes and visions for Nigeria rather than personal attacks and allegations that have not been established.
The GCC reaffirmed its support for Tinubu’s decision and expressed confidence that Sheriff would use his political experience and network to deliver substantial support for the president across the North-East.
It maintained that the former governor’s immediate task was clear: to organise the APC’s political machinery across the region and mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The coalition consequently urged APC stakeholders to close ranks and focus on the campaign, saying internal disagreements should not undermine the party’s preparations for the forthcoming election.