By Stella Odueme
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assigned its National Legal Adviser, Barrister Murtala Aliyu Kankia, a key legal responsibility in its 2027 Presidential Campaign Council as the ruling party steps up preparations for the general elections.
Kankia has been named Secretary, Legal, in the newly constituted campaign structure, giving the party’s principal legal officer a central role in coordinating legal affairs as the APC prepares to take its presidential campaign across the country.
His appointment creates a direct link between the APC’s national legal machinery and its presidential campaign organisation, with Kankia expected to provide legal guidance on campaign activities, electoral regulations, compliance and potential disputes.
The development comes as the APC intensifies its preparations for the 2027 presidential election and reorganises its campaign structure across political mobilisation, communications, security, legal affairs and other areas.
Former Zamfara State Governor and Senator, Abdulaziz Yari, has been named Director-General of the campaign council, while other senior party members have been assigned responsibilities in various departments.
Kankia’s dual role as National Legal Adviser and Secretary, Legal, places him at the centre of the party’s legal strategy as the campaign gathers momentum.
The legal department is expected to advise the campaign on electoral laws, political advertising, party procedures and other regulatory requirements, while also helping to anticipate and manage legal challenges that may arise during the election cycle.
With the campaign expected to operate across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the legal responsibility will extend beyond the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Campaign rallies, stakeholder engagements, grassroots mobilisation and other political activities will require compliance with applicable laws and electoral regulations, making legal coordination an important component of the APC’s nationwide campaign structure.
The legal team may also be required to coordinate responses to petitions, disputes and litigation arising from campaign activities, voting processes and the declaration of election results.
Kankia’s appointment is part of the broader effort by the APC to establish a specialised campaign architecture ahead of the 2027 contest, with responsibilities divided among key areas including mobilisation, security, communications and legal affairs.
The development also highlights the increasing importance of legal preparedness in Nigeria’s electoral contests, where disputes over party processes, campaign conduct and election results can extend well beyond polling day.
For the APC, placing its National Legal Adviser within the presidential campaign command provides the party with an experienced legal hand who is already familiar with its constitution, structures and internal procedures.
Kankia is therefore expected to play a strategic role in ensuring that the party’s presidential campaign operates within the framework of electoral laws while strengthening its preparedness to respond to legal challenges.
As the 2027 election approaches, the APC is positioning its campaign structure for a nationwide contest, with Kankia’s legal assignment expected to form an important part of the party’s broader electoral strategy.