APC Restricts Campaign Spokespersons to Yari, Alake and Idris After 112 Controversy

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has restricted official communication to three senior members, following a failed live demonstration of Nigeria’s 112 emergency number by campaign spokesperson Alwan Hassan.

In a statement on Wednesday, Femi Gbajabiamila, the council’s Deputy Director-General (Administration), said only its Director-General, Abdulaziz Yari; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, are authorised to speak on its behalf.

Gbajabiamila, who is also Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, said the decision was aimed at ensuring more “cohesive, disciplined and effective public engagement.”

He added that all previously announced spokespersons would now serve in the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications.

“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 said.

The development comes a day after Hassan struggled to demonstrate the functionality of the 112 emergency line during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.

Hassan had cited the service as an achievement of the Tinubu administration and challenged the programme’s anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, to call the number during the live interview.

However, repeated attempts to connect failed. Hassan suggested a possible network problem but maintained that the service was functional. Okinbaloye questioned the explanation, noting that other calls from the studio had connected successfully.

The latest changes also follow controversy over Hassan’s claim during another television interview last month that some ministers paid billions of naira to secure appointments.

APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka later clarified that Hassan was referring to the previous administration, not the Tinubu government.

Although the campaign council did not directly link the new communication arrangement to the 112 incident, it has formally limited authorised campaign appearances to Yari, Alake and Idris.